Adaptability of winter barley varieties to the conditions of the Carpathian region

Abstract

The research was conducted in 2021–2023 on the fields of the crop selection department in the conditions of selection and seed rotation of the Institute of Agriculture of the Carpathian Region of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences. The subjects of research were the following varieties: Zbruch, MIP Darii, MIP Status, Deviatyi val, Dostoinyi, Snihova koroleva, Valkiria, Rusyn, Atlas, Evolution, Finola. The purpose of our work was to identify varieties of winter barley that are most adapted to the weather conditions of the Carpathian region. The incidence of winter barley varieties depended largely on the species composition of pathogens in the agrocenosis and soil and climatic conditions. Over the years of research, the most resistant varieties (score 6) to powdery mildew were: Zbruch, Snihova koroleva, Deviatyi val. More susceptible to this disease were: Finola, Atlas, Rusyn, Dostoinyi. It should be noted that high resistance
(score 7) to net spotting of leaves was found by the following varieties: Dostoinyi, Snihova koroleva. The Valkiria variety was susceptible to this disease (score 5). All studied varieties had high resistance to dwarf rust (score 7–6). It is possible that such damage of winter barley varieties depended on the species composition of pathogens in the agrocenosis and soil-climatic conditions. As for the structure of the crop, for winter barley its main elements are the following: the density of the productive stem, the size of the ear and the fullness of the grain. Each of these elements can change under the influence of environmental conditions. This, in turn, affects the grain size. Incomplete, thin and small grain is of low quality, which is a consequence of the influence of adverse factors of the external environment on the plant (weather conditions, deficiency of nutrients, damage by diseases and pests). The best ratio of crop elements was noted in the Snihova koroleva variety, which was influenced by varietal characteristics and the ability to actively use natural and climatic conditions for plant development and growth. The longest spike appeared in plants of the Snihova koroleva variety with a number of grains of 43 pcs., and the shortest ‒ in plants of the MIP Darius variety with a number of grains of 38 pcs. The Deviatyi val variety was as close as possible to the standard in terms of ear length, and even exceeded it by 0.7 g in weight of 1,000 grains. The lowest weight of 1,000 grains was in the MIP Status and Atlas varieties
(37.0‒37.5 g). The best ratio of harvest elements was found in the Snihova koroleva variety, which was influenced by varietal features and the ability to actively use natural and climatic conditions for growth and development.