Selection strategies for yield enhancement in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

A field experiment with 42 genotypes of barley was conducted in order to select key components and promising genotypes for yield enhancement. The experiment was laid in randomized block design with four replications during 2022-23 at Barley Research Area, Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar. The genotypic correlation estimates showed significant positive association of grain yield with days to maturity, spike length and 1000-grain weight. The trait viz., days to maturity exhibited the highest positive direct effect on grain yield followed by 1000 grain weight and spike length. Hence, these traits could be considered as suitable selection criterion for the development of high yielding barley varieties. Cluster analysis assigned all the genotypes into four distinct clusters. Cluster I, contained 14 genotypes recorded with shortest plant height having highest number of effective tillers per meter. Cluster II consisted of 8 genotypes, characterized by long spikes and high 1000-grain weight. Cluster III had 11 genotypes with highest grain yield. Cluster IV comprised of nine early maturing genotypes. The average inter-cluster distance was found to be highest between the cluster I and III followed by between cluster I and IV while the lowest inter-cluster distance was observed between clusters III and IV. The improvement in six rowed barley could be achieved through the use genotypes assigned in clusters III, whereas the genotypes which contained in cluster II might be considered as potential parents for two rowed barley to obtain high heterotic response and consequently better segregants for grain yield.