EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ON QUANTITATIVE TRAITS OF SPRING BARLEY

Abstract

Spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is an important cereal crop in temperate regions, whose productivity is strongly influenced by environmental conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the agronomic performance and yield stability of spring barley genotypes under contrasting agroecological conditions in Romania. A comparative field experiment was conducted during the 2024 growing season at three locations: Turda, Fundulea, and Secuieni, using 21 spring barley cultivars. The experiment assessed key yield-related traits, including plant height, grain weight per ear, number of grains per ear, thousand kernel weight (TKW), and grain yield.The results showed that the morpho-productive performance of the genotypes varied significantly among the three locations, reflecting the influence of agroclimatic conditions on the analyzed traits.Turda showed higher TKW values and more stable grain yields, while Fundulea recorded lower performance, likely due to increased abiotic stress. In Secuieni, high variability among traits suggested a complex interaction between genotypes and local pedoclimatic factors. These findings highlight the importance of multilocation testing for identifying stable spring barley cultivars and provide valuable information for breeding programs and region-specific cultivation strategies.