Spring Barley Hybrids Assessment for Biological and Economic Features Under Drought Conditions of Northern and Central Kazakhstan

Abstract

The presented study comprehensively assessed barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) hybrid populations of F3– F5 generations, comparing with the standard barley cultivars, Karagaydinckiy-5 and Astana-2000. The crossing of isolated barley cultivars of the international collection (obtained from Australia) proceeded under intense continental climatic conditions of Northern and Central Kazakhstan. Barley promising selected populations, i.e., Macguarie × Arna, Flinders × Tselinniy golozerniy, and Flinders × Omskiy golozerniy, showed early maturity (79–83 days), superior plant height (34.4–69.5 cm), and enhanced 1000-grain weight (56.6 g, 56.4 g, and 58.0 g, respectively), and populations, viz., Buloke × Karagandinckiy-6, Fathom × Donezckiy-9, and Onslow × Karabalykckiy-43, for productivity (1 m2) at 184 g, 116.4 g, and 140.1 g, respectively. Identified in the study were the correlation of productivity and its structural elements, particularly the grain weight per ear (r = 0.486) and grain weight per plant (r = 0.828), mainly determining grain productivity. The determination of structural features variation showed a significant excess (more than 20%) with varying levels. The level of variability of grain mass per plant has shown in hybrid lines, i.e., Fathom × Karagandinckiy-5, Onslow × Karagandinckiy-10, Admiral × Karabalykckiy-150, and Admiral × Donezckiy-9. In grains, the protein content ranged from 10.45% to 16.63%, and the excess over the standard cultivar resulted in the hybrid lines Franklin × Sabir (16.63%), Anodolu-86 × Donezckiy-8 (16.04%), and Flinders × Omskiy golozerniy (15.31%). Based on an average of the study years, the drought-resistant and highproductivity hybrid lines were Buloke × Karagadinckiy-6, Fathom × Donezckiy-9, Onslow × Karabalykckiy-43, Onslow × (Karagandinckiy-5 × Аrna), Bass × Karabalykckiy-150, Granal × CMB93H-805-F-1Y-1M-OY-17TRS-OAP, and Granal × CMB89A-380-1M-OGH-105GH-1B-1OY-OAP- 19AP-OAP. These promising genotypes can benefit the development of drought-resistant and highyielding barley cultivars through future breeding programs under prevailing environmental conditions.