Inheritance of drought tolerance in some barley genotypes [electronic resource].

Includes reference.

Two field experiments were performed at Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafr EI-Sheikh Governorate, during the two growing seasons 2006/2007 and 2007/2008, to study the inheritance of drought tolerance in some barley genotypes. Five diverse barley cultivars and lines namely Saico (Pt), line 1 (P2), Giza 126 (P3), Line 2 (P4), and Line 3 (Ps) were crossed in a half diallel. Parents and their 10 F1 hybrids were planted in two experiments. The first experiment, received planting irrigation only (stress). The second was irrigated three times after planting irrigation (normal). Results showed that the mean performance under water stress decreased for all parents and their hybrids in all traits compared with normal irrigation. Analysis of variance revealed highly significant differences among genotypes for most traits, providing evidence for presence of large amount of genetic variability. Based on general combining ability estimates, the best combiners were P1 for plant height, 100-grain weight and grain yield/plant under stress condition; P2 for most studied traits under normal condition; and P3 for most studied traits under the stress, normal and their combined, P4 for spike length and 100-grain weight under drought condition. Meanwhile specific combining ability showed that the best hybrids were (P1x P3) for most studied traits under normal and stress conditions and their combined; (P2.xP3) for number of grains/spike; 100-grain weight, and grain yield/plant under normal condition and their combined; (P1XPV and (P4XPs) for most traits under drought condition and their combined. Moreover, significant positive heterosis values, over better parents, were obtained by (P1X P3) and (P2 X P3) for most traits under normal and stress conditions and their combined, as well as, (P2XPs) for number of spikes/plant and grain yield/plant under normal and stress conditions and their combined. Drought susceptibility index (DSI) over both irrigation treatments indicated that parents (P1), (P3), (P4) and crosses, (P1X P2) and (P3 X P4) were tolerant for most traits, indicating the importance of these parents in this regard.

Summary in Arabic.

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