EFFECT OF TILLAGE MANAGEMENT ON YIELD PERFORMANCE IN BARLEY

A 3-yr study was conducted to assess the effect of tillage management on relative yield performance of selected cultivars of barley. The exp eriment was located on two differing textures of orthic black Chernoze mic soils over 3 yr. Relative yields differed significantly between cu ltivars within tillage systems, and between tillage systems, sites and years. All interactions were also highly significant. This suggests t hat barley variety performance trials should be conducted under the sa me tillage management system across sites and years and that significa nt interactions should be identified and mitigated, wherever possible. Failure to do so could lead to misidentification of high yield-perfor mance cultivars and subsequent loss of economic opportunities to produ cers.