C. Canteromartinez et al., GROWTH AND YIELD RESPONSES OF 2 CONTRASTING BARLEY CULTIVARS IN A MEDITERRANEAN ENVIRONMENT, European journal of agronomy, 4(3), 1995, pp. 317-326
The central area of the Ebro valley in northern Spain has a continenta
l Mediterranean climate with variable rainfall, ranging from 250 to 50
0 mm. Water is the main factor limiting yield of rainfed agriculture.
During four seasons (1985-86 to 1988-89), the performance of two barle
y cultivars of contrasting phenology (cvs. Dobla and Tina) was studied
at El Canos (north-eastern Spain). Growth, yield and yield components
, water use and root development were evaluated. Yields ranged from 1.
2 to 3.0 t ha(-1) for the four experimental years which were all below
average in rainfall. Total water use by the crop and ET during the pr
e-anthesis period were main determinants of grain yield (r = 0.75, p <
0.001). The most variable yield component across genotypes and years
was the number of ears per square meter, which determined final grain
yield. Dobla, a modern cultivar, had greater plasticity and responded
by having greater growth rates during pre-anthesis when the number of
grains per ear was determined. Dobla avoided the terminal water stress
, and its grain filling period was less adversedly affected than that
of Tina, a late-flowering and older cultivar. Dobla produced less leaf
area but had a greater extintiction coefficient and intercepted more
radiation per unit leaf area. In the very dry years, yields of both cu
ltivars were similar; however, Dobla outyielded Tina (3.0 vs. 2.3 t ha
(-1)) in 1987-88 when the rainfall approached normal. It is concluded
that Dobla is a cultivar better suited for the area despite the greate
r stability and higher biomass production of Tina.