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Cereal Chem. 78(3):363-367Knowledge of the presence and magnitude of cultivar-by-environment (C × E) interactions is important to plant breeders in making decisions regarding the development and evaluation of new cultivars. In this study, 16 winter wheat cultivars were grown in 11 environments in a randomized complete block design with three replicates. The winter wheat (Tritcum aestivum L.) cultivars displayed a broad range of quality, and the different environments represented a broad range of environmental conditions. Test weight (TW), grain protein content (GP), sedimentation value (SED), wet gluten (WG), farinograph absorption (FAB), farinograph dough development time (FDT), quality number (FQN), resistance to extension (ER), loaf volume (LV), and baking score (BS) were measured. Highly significant differences were detected among the environments and cultivars for each of the quality variables. Significant C × E interactions indicated that the breadmaking quality evaluations must be undertaken for several environments. The WG trait showed a significant positive correlation with TW, GP, SED, LV, and BS. Path analysis indicated that GP, the most important component of quality, exhibited not only large direct effects but also large indirect ones on LV through SED, WG, FAB, and FDT. The correlation among the selected traits may be useful in future breeding programs.

Quality of barley consists of precisely defined grain quality attributes (grain weight, grading, grain protein concentration, etc.) and malt quality attributes (extract, viscosity, Kolbach index, etc.). Barley quality attributes are quantitatively inherited and greatly affected by environmental factors such as temperature, available water, nitrogen fertilizer and soil type. The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of genotype and growing conditions (year) on grain and malt quality attributes in barley grown under field conditions in the Pannonian zone. The eight spring two-row barley varieties were studied during a seven growing seasons (1998-2004) on the location Novi Sad (45?20'N, 15?51'E, 86 m asl). The growing season predominantly affected variation of the all studied grain and malt quality attributes of spring barley where its percentage of variance was 35.2%, 20.2%, 32.5%, 25.4%, 30.9%, 31.2%, and 38.5% for grain weight (GW), grading (GRA), grain protein content (GPC), viscosity (VIS), Kolbach index (KOL), Hartong number (HAR) and extract content (EXT), respectively. The interaction of GxE comprised of 28.4%, 64.5%, 38.2%, 54.0%, 39.6%, 41.2% and 23.7% of variation for GW, GRA, GPC, VIS, KOL, HAR and EXT, respectively. The genetic component of variance ranged from 11.1% for GRA to 35.0% for EXT. The heritability was the lowest for GRA-0.54 and the highest for EXT-0.91. Across growing seasons GW ranged from 39.6 to 46.1g, GRA from 76.7 to 91.1%, GPC from 12.1 to 13.5g 100-1g dm, VIS from 1.44 till 1.61m.Ps, KOL from 32.5 to 42,9%, HAR from 31.9 to 45.9VZ 45?C and EXT from 76.3 to 80.3% dm. Out of seven growing seasons EXT was acceptable in four ranging from79.2 to 81.4% dm. Although growing conditions in the Pannonian zone are less favorable for malting barley production in relation to western Europe it does not exclude malting barley production with acceptable quality in the Pannonian zone environments. The varieties Scarlett and Viktor performed quite acceptable quality in the Pannonian zone and may be recommended for commercial production in this region for malt industry.

During growth, kernel of cereals can be provided with carbohydrate and nitrogen (N) from the translocation of pre-anthesis accumulated reserves stored either in the vegetative plant parts or from current assimilation during kernel development. This study was conducted to assess the effects of nitrogen level and cultivars on dry matter and N accumulation and mobilization during pre-anthesis and post-anthesis. Twenty two-rowed spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars were grown on a non-calcareous chernozem soil in four growing seasons (1995–1998) atNovi Sad (45°20'N, 15°51'E,86 m a.s.l.) at two nitrogen levels. Dry matter accumulation before anthesis ranged from less than 50% in unfavorable to 90% in favorable growing conditions. Dry matter translocation occurred in favorable growing conditions only. Pre-anthesis accumulated N represented 57–92% and 54–129% of total N at maturity at the low and high N levels, respectively. Translocated N represented 41–85% and 37–153% of grain N at the low and high N level, respectively. N losses occurred in favorable growing conditions when anthesis N exceeded 150 kg/ha. N accumulation during grain filling was in negative correlation with dry matter and N accumulation before anthesis. The N harvest index was 0.57–0.63 and 0.71–0.74 in unfavorable and favorable growing conditions, respectively. Selection of genotypes with a higher ability of pre-anthesis reserve utilization or genotypes with longer leaf area duration after anthesis may be two possible solutions in spring barley breeding for Mediterranean growing conditions.

Unpredictable environmental conditions lead to occurrence of large genotype by environment (G × E) interaction. It reduces the correlation between genotypic and phenotypic values and complicates selection of superior genotypes. The objective of this study was to estimate genotype by year (G × Y) interaction using AMMI model, to identify spring barley genotypes with stable and high yield performance and to observe association of different meteorological variables with tested growing seasons. The trials with 15 spring barley genotypes were conducted during seven years (1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005) at the location of Rimski Šančevi. The results showed that the influence of year (Y), genotype (G) and G × Y interaction on barley grain yield were significant (p < 0.01). Meteorological variables varied significantly from year to year and Y explained the highest percent of treatment variation (81%). The first three IPCA were significant and explained 83% of interaction variation. According to this study, it could be concluded that AMMI analysis provided an enhanced understanding of G × Y interaction in barley multi-years trials. Among the tested genotypes, LAV and NS 477 could be separated as highest yielding genotypes, however LAV could be recommended for further breeding program and large-scale production due to its stable and high yielding performance. It also provided better insight in specific association between spring barley grain yield and meteorological variables.

Environmental conditions in the Pannonian zone can be characterized with moderate high temperature and partially water deficit during grain filling of spring barley, although low temperature and water deficit are possible also in period till anthesis. This study was conducted to evaluate the variation of the duration of the period from emergence to anthesis (VP), duration of grain filling period (GFP), plant height (PH), spikes number m-2 (SN), grains number spike-1 (GN), thousand grains weight (GW) and yield (YIL) in spring two-rowed barley in conditions of the Pannonian zone. All three factors; genotype, environment and the interaction GxY affected the studied traits. Average VP was 777 GDD, GFP 782 GDD, PH 78 cm, SN 523, GN 28.2, GW 43.2 g and YIL 6.26 t ha-1. Variation across varieties was higher than across growing seasons. Heritability varied from 0.66 for YIL to 0.94 for VP and GFP. This study confirmed that a sufficiently large genetic variability must be base for selecting appropriate varieties for the Pannonian zone conditions. In order to determine high yielding and quality barley extensive research in relation to breeding, variety choice for production and growing practice must be done

In the 20 th century, grain yield of winter barley has increased due to advances in both breeding and crop management practices. Knowledge about the association of agronomic traits with genetic gains in yield potential is necessary to improve future breeding programs. Therefore, we studied the variation in grain yield, spike length, heading date, thousand grain weight, hectolitre mass and plant height of two-rowed winter barley cultivars that were released between 1977 and 2010, in a 2-year field trial. Our results showed that most of the analyzed traits were significantly affected by the cultivar, year and cultivar-by-year interaction. The present study showed that grain yield was positively correlated with the year of release. The average rate of grain yield increase in Serbia was 46 kg ha -1 per year. Further, grain yield was negatively correlated with plant height and heading date. Plant height and hectolitre mass of modern cultivars showed a significant declining trend, from the oldest to the newest cultivars. An improved understanding of the changes in agronomic traits over the last 40 years of barley breeding will help to identify targets for further breeding progress and improve the genetic potential of barley.