Comparison of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L) varieties grown in organic trials: lodging and plant height

Authors

• Tomasz Lenartowicz Research Centre for Cultivar Testing, Poland
• Henryk Bujak Research Centre for Cultivar Testing, Poland; Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland
• Marcin Przystalski Research Centre for Cultivar Testing, Poland
• Kamila Nowosad Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland
• Krzysztof Jończyk Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation-State Research Institute in Puławy, Poland
• Beata Feledyn-Szewczyk Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation-State Research Institute in Puławy, Poland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.153239

Keywords:

plant height, lodging, organic trials, mixed models, stability

Abstract

Lodging is one of the main factors influencing yield reduction in both organic and conventional systems. In the
organic system, lodging is mainly controlled by selecting varieties with increased resistance to lodging, by regulating
sowing density, or by cultivation of varieties of appropriate height. The present study aimed to compare ten varieties
tested in the years 2020–2022 in organic trials in terms of plant height and resistance to lodging in two growth
phases (milk and harvest). Depending on the analyzed trait, a linear or cumulative link linear mixed model was fitted
on plot data. The analyses showed that variety Farmer was the most resistant to lodging in the two growth phases,
whereas varieties KWS Vermont and Rubaszek were less resistant to lodging in two growth phases than Farmer,
but only at the milk phase, the differences were significant. Furthermore, Radek was the tallest among the tested
varieties, whereas Farmer was classified as mid-tall. According to Wricke’s ecovalence coefficient, Bente was the
most stable, while Farmer ranked third. Therefore, varieties that are the most resistant to lodging and are the most
stable in terms of height, should be promoted for cultivation.