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CROP ECOLOGY, MANAGEMENT & QUALITY

Use of a Water Stress Index to Identify Barley Genotypes Adapted to Rainfed and Irrigated Conditions

^a Istituto Sperimentale per la Cerealicoltura, Via S. Protaso, 302-29017 Fiorenzuola d'Arda, Piacenza, Italy
^b Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) PF 60 12 03-14412 Potsdam, Germany
^c Istituto Sperimentale per la Cerealicoltura, SS 16 Km 675-71100 Foggia, Italy

^* Corresponding author (fulvia.rizza{at}libero.it)

Future climate changes are expected to increase risks of drought, which already represent the most common stress factor for stable barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) production in Mediterranean areas. It is important, therefore, to evaluate if there are needs of specific adaptive measures in selecting genotypes for these more stressful environments. Our objective was to study diversity of yield performance under rainfed (R) and irrigated (I) conditions in 89 barley genotypes of different origin, growth habit, and year of release, representing a sample of cultivars grown in Europe. The experiment was conducted at Foggia (southern Italy) for 3 yr. For each trial, a water stress index (WSI) was calculated on the basis of the daily potential and actual evapotranspiration in the growing season, estimated by Thornthwaite's method. The WSI explained most of the variation in yield (R² = 0.89**) among years and treatments. We examined, using the yield vs. WSI regression, the behavior of a given genotype across trials. The intercept and slope values were used as measures of yield potential and adaptability under drought, respectively. Several cultivars showing high yield potential and minimal genotype x environment (GE) interaction were identified. Notably, they were characterized by a high slope of the yield vs. WSI regression. Furthermore, within the range of water stress here examined, high yield potential played a preeminent role in the performance of these barley genotypes. This explains why, in this specific context, a selection based on minimum yield decrease under stress with respect to favorable conditions failed to identify the best genotypes.

Abbreviations: AWC, available water capacity • GE, genotype x environment • I, irrigated • R, rainfed • rel. Y_I, yield of the cultivar in I trials • rel. Y_R, yield of the cultivars in R trials • S, Fisher and Maurer's drought susceptibility index • WSI, water stress index

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THIS ISSUE IN CROP SCIENCE

Crop Science 2004 44: 1889-1892. [Full Text]  

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