• Authors:
    • Patpour, M.
    • Dehghan, M.
    • Pouralibaba, H.
    • Pashapour, H.
    • Abediasl, G.
    • Soleymani, K.
    • Hesami, A.
    • Roohi, E.
    • Azimzadeh, S.
    • Nadermahmoodi, K.
    • Moayed, F.
    • Maleki, Y.
    • Eskandari, I.
    • Salekzanani, A.
  • Source: Seed and Plant
  • Volume: 25
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Line Yesevi-93 (cultivar Abidar) was first introduced to Dryland Agricultural Research Institute (DARI) through the International Winter Preliminary Barley Yield Trials (IWPBYT) in 1994. It was selected as one the most high yielding lines based on observational and statistical trails (Regional Barley Yield Trials) carried out in different locations during 1997-2000. The average yield of Abidar cultivar in advanced trails was 2138 kgha -1 which was 5% and 34% higher than those of Sahand and local check cultivars, respectively. Yield stability analysis of data from grain yield of Abidar and other advanced lines of barley, using different methods, proved its high stability in different locations. It is a cold tolerant, early maturity, facultative type, drought tolerant and resistant to shattering cultivar. Its average height was 57 cm with 1000 kernel weight of 40-50 g. In on-farm yield trails, Abidar cultivar performed most better than the check cultivars. It is resistant to scald and powdery mildew diseases but susceptible to barley stripe. As this disease is seed-borne, it can easily be controlled through seed treatment by appropriate fungicides. Based on the advanced regional barley yield trials carried out in different cold and moderately cold regions of Iran, Abidar can be recommended for cultivation in moderate cold areas of Azarbaijan, Hamedan, Kurdistan, Zanjan, Ardebil, Ilam, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Chaharmahal-e-Bakhtiari, Markazi, Kohgilloyeh and Boyerahmad and Khorasan provinces in dryland conditions.
  • Authors:
    • Torabi, M.
    • Hosni, M.
    • Vaezi, B.
    • Khanzadeh, H.
    • Khalilzadeh, G.
    • Hosseinpour, T.
    • Nourinia, A.
    • Roustaei, M.
    • Mohammadi, M.
    • Patpour, M.
    • Dehghan, M.
  • Source: Seed and Plant Improvement Journal
  • Volume: 25-1
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Some parts of semitropical regions in Khouzestan, Fars, Kohgiloyieh-va-Boyrahmad, Lorestan, Golestan, Ardabil, Kermanshah and Boushehr provinces specified to spring barley cultivation which local or a few improved cultivars are grown there. Barley breeding activities in Dryland Agricultural Research Institute(DARI) are continuously undertaken in Gachsaran, Kouhdasht, Gonbad and Moghan to introduce new cultivars for these regions. Obtained results during 11 years (1993-2003) showed that genotype Wi2291/Wi2269//Er/Apm originated from ICARDA, had good adaptation, yield stability and good agronomic traits in dryland areas with semitropical climate. The average yield of this genotype in all locations was 3.556 tha -1 which was 12 percent more than the yield of Izeh as improved check. Higher thousand kernel weight (more than 10 gram in some locations) is a remarkable trait of this genotype. The new genotype is a spring type barley with an average plant height of 72 cm and resistant to lodging. This genotype was introduced through Agricultural Extension, Education and Research Organization under the name of Mahoor in 2008.
  • Authors:
    • Zaragoza, C.
    • Aibar, J.
    • Cavero, J.
    • Pardo, G.
  • Source: Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems
  • Volume: 84
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Under semiarid conditions the response of crops to synthetic fertilizers is often reduced. Organic fertilizers can be used to provide a continuous source of nutrients for the crops. The soil nitrogen and crop yield in a rotation of durum wheat ( Triticum durum)-fallow-barley ( Hordeum vulgare)-vetch ( Vicia sativa) were studied during 4 years when synthetic fertilizer (chemical), compost (organic) or no fertilizer (control) were applied in a field with high initial contents of soil NO 3-N (>400 kg N ha -1), phosphorus (22 mg kg -1) and potassium (>300 mg kg -1). Changes in soil organic matter, phosphorus and potassium were also measured. During the crop period, chemical fertilization significantly increased the content of soil NO 3-N in the first 0.30 m of soil with respect to organic fertilization and the control. The yield of wheat and barley was not increased after applying chemical or organic fertilizer with respect to the unfertilized plots. The estimated losses of nitrogen were similar for the three types of fertilization, as well as the uptake of nitrogen for the total biomass produced. The initial levels of organic matter and phosphorus were maintained, even in the plots that were not fertilized, while the potassium decreased slightly. Thus, the rotation and burying of crop residues were enough to maintain the crop yield and the initial content of nutrients.
  • Authors:
    • Rhinhart, K.
    • Ong, C.
    • Ohm, J.
    • Flowers, M.
    • Corey, A.
    • Petrie, S.
    • Hayes, P.
    • Rey, J.
    • Ross, A.
  • Source: Crop Science
  • Volume: 49
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Grain beta-glucan content is the most important attribute for barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties destined for the human food market. This trait is important because of the blood glucose and cholesterol-reducing properties of beta-glucans. High levels of grain protein content, test weight, and seed size and endosperm color may also add value. Seed yield potential, in part, determines the economic feasibility of producing human food varieties. To determine the potential of food barley production in the dryland production areas of the Pacific Northwest of the United States, 33 cultivars and advanced lines reported to vary in beta-glucan content were grown in 2006 and 2007 at two locations in northeastern Oregon under dryland cropping conditions. Seed yield, test weight, percentage of plump kernels, grain beta-glucan, and grain protein were measured on replicated samples from the four environments, allowing for assessment of average performance as well as genotype * environment interaction. Estimates of variance components showed that ~66% of the variability in beta-glucan content was attributable to genotype. Cultivars and lines with waxy starch had an average beta-glucan value of 55 g kg -1 compared with 35 g kg -1 for cultivars and lines with nonwaxy starch. We found significant two- and three-way interactions, but these accounted for much less of the total variation in the measured phenotypes than the main effects of variety, year, and location. Hulless accessions produced an average of 3580 kg grain ha -1 compared with 4260 kg grain ha -1 for the hulled accessions. Hulled, waxy-starch varieties appear to have the greatest agronomic potential for dryland production, as they combine high yield potential and grain beta-glucan percentage.
  • Authors:
    • Thomas, R.
    • Aw-Hassan, A.
    • Turkelboom, F.
    • Bruggeman, A.
    • Rovere, R.
    • Al-Ahmad, K.
  • Source: Journal of Environment & Development
  • Volume: 18
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: This article reviews work that had the objective of introducing agricultural technologies in a marginal dryland area, the Khanasser Valley, northwestern Syria. The highly variable rainfall is barely sufficient to support livelihoods in this traditional barley-livestock production system. The valley is representative of other marginal dryland areas in West Asia and North Africa. We used a farmer-participatory approach to evaluate the performance of agricultural technologies for dry marginal areas in terms of their contribution to livelihoods and effect on the environment. The integrated approach allowed comprehensively comparing and evaluating the viability of promising technologies, including novel crops, intercropping, soil management techniques, and livestock rearing. The results show that improved barley varieties, olives, cumin, and lamb fattening can improve livelihoods, particularly for the land-owning households, whereas other households can benefit indirectly in terms of employment spillovers. These options are also environmentally friendly and sustain the natural resource base.
  • Authors:
    • Jabro, J.
    • Caesar-TonThat, T.
    • Sainju, U.
  • Source: Soil Science Society of America Journal
  • Volume: 73
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Tillage and cropping sequence may influence C and N sequestration, microbial activities, and N mineralization in dryland soil aggregates. We evaluated the 21-yr effect of tillage and cropping sequence combinations on C and N fractions in aggregates of a Dooley sandy loam (fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, frigid Typic Argiustolls) at the 0- to 20-cm depth in eastern Montana. Tillage and cropping sequences were no-tilled continuous spring wheat (NTCW) ( Triticum aestivum L.), spring-tilled continuous spring wheat (STCW), fall- and spring-tilled continuous spring wheat (FSTCW), fall- and spring-tilled spring wheat-barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) (1984-1999) followed by spring wheat-pea ( Pisum sativum L.)(2000-2004)(FSTW-B/P), and spring-tilled spring wheat-fallow (STW-F). Carbon and N fractions were soil organic C (SOC), total N (STN), particulate organic C and N (POC and PON), microbial biomass C and N (MBC and MBN), potential C and N mineralization (PCM and PNM), NH 4-N, and NO 3-N. Aggregate proportion was greater in NTCW than in FSTCW in the 4.75- to 2.00-mm aggregate-size class at 0 to 5 cm but was greater in STW-F than in STCW in the 2.00- to 0.25-mm size class at 5 to 20 cm. After 21 yr, STW-F reduced SOC, STN, POC, and PON concentrations in aggregates by 34 to 42% at 0- to 5-cm and by 20 to 32% at 5- to 20-cm compared with NTCW and STCW. The PCM and MBC were greater in NTCW and STCW than in STW-F in the
  • Authors:
    • Evans, R.
    • Lenssen, A.
    • Caesar-Tonthat, T.
    • Sainju, U.
    • Kolberg, R.
  • Source: Soil & Tillage Research
  • Volume: 103
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Information on N cycling in dryland crops and soils as influenced by long-term tillage and cropping sequence is needed to quantify soil N sequestration, mineralization, and N balance to reduce N fertilization rate and N losses through soil processes. The 21-yr effects of the combinations of tillage and cropping sequences was evaluated on dryland crop grain and biomass (stems+leaves) N, soil surface residue N, soil N fractions, and N balance at the 0-20 cm depth in Dooley sandy loam (fine-loamy, mixed, frigid, Typic Argiboroll) in eastern Montana, USA. Treatments were no-tilled continuous spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) (NTCW), spring-tilled continuous spring wheat (STCW), fall- and spring-tilled continuous spring wheat (FSTCW), fall- and spring-tilled spring wheat-barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) (1984-1999) followed by spring wheat-pea ( Pisum sativum L.) (2000-2004) (FSTW-B/P), and spring-tilled spring wheat-fallow (STW-F). Nitrogen fractions were soil total N (STN), particulate organic N (PON), microbial biomass N (MBN), potential N mineralization (PNM), NH 4-N, and NO 3-N. Annualized crop grain and biomass N varied with treatments and years and mean grain and biomass N from 1984 to 2004 were 14.3-21.2 kg N ha -1 greater in NTCW, STCW, FSTCW, and FSTW-B/P than in STW-F. Soil surface residue N was 9.1-15.2 kg N ha -1 greater in other treatments than in STW-F in 2004. The STN at 0-20 cm was 0.39-0.96 Mg N ha -1, PON 0.10-0.30 Mg N ha -1, and PNM 4.6-9.4 kg N ha -1 greater in other treatments than in STW-F. At 0-5 cm, STN, PON, and MBN were greater in STCW than in FSTW-B/P and STW-F. At 5-20 cm, STN and PON were greater in NTCW and STCW than in STW-F, PNM and MBN were greater in STCW than in NTCW and STW-F, and NO 3-N was greater in FSTW-B/P than in NTCW and FSTCW. Estimated N loss through leaching, volatilization, or denitrification at 0-20 cm depth increased with increasing tillage frequency or greater with fallow than with continuous cropping and ranged from 9 kg N ha -1 yr -1 in NTCW to 46 kg N ha -1 yr -1 in STW-F. Long-term no-till or spring till with continuous cropping increased dryland crop grain and biomass N, soil surface residue N, N storage, and potential N mineralization, and reduced N loss compared with the conventional system, such as STW-F, at the surface 20 cm layer. Greater tillage frequency, followed by pea inclusion in the last 5 out of 21 yr in FSTW-B/P, however, increased N availability at the subsurface layer in 2004.
  • Authors:
    • Singh, O.
    • Sandeep, S.
  • Source: International Journal of Agricultural Sciences
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue: 1
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: An experiment was conducted at J.V. College, Baraut, Baghpat during rabi 2003-04 and 204-05 on inter cropping of french bean+potato intercropping with deferent rates of N and K application. The economic analysis of results indicated that intercropping system earned maximum of Rs. 55803/ha net profit which was found Rs. 18949 and Rs. 11014/ha more than net from potato pure and french bean pure, respectively. The application of 60 K 2O/ha earned Rs. 49819/ha maximum profit which has Rs. 8406/ha more over control. As application of 120 kg N/ha earned Rs. 54328/ha net profit and it was found Rs. 23149/ha more over control. The uptake of N was recorded maximum in intercropping system while K-uptake was maximum is sole potato and P-uptake was higher in sole French-been and intercropping. Uptake of nutrients increased with increasing doses of fertilizers application up to highest does of application.
  • Authors:
    • Mikha, M.
    • Vigil, M.
    • Lyon, D.
    • Schlegel, A.
    • Stone, L.
    • Blanco-Canqui, H.
    • Stahlman, P.
    • Rice, C.
  • Source: Soil Science Society of America Journal
  • Volume: 73
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: Compaction can be a problem in some no-till (NT) soils, but accumulation of soil organic C (SOC) with time may reduce the soil's susceptibility to compaction. Relationships between SOC and soil maximum bulk density (BD max), equivalent to maximum soil compactibility, have not been well documented, particularly in NT systems. We assessed near-surface BD max using the Proctor test under long-term (>19 yr) moldboard plow (MP), conventional tillage (CT), reduced tillage (RT), and NT conditions in the central Great Plains and determined its relationships with SOC, particle size distribution, and Atterberg consistency limits. The experiments were located on silt loam soils at Hays and Tribune, KS, and loam soils at Akron, CO, and Sidney, NE. The near-surface BD max of the MP soil was higher than that of the NT soil by 13% at Sidney, while the near-surface BD max of the CT was higher than that of the NT soil by about 6% at Akron, Hays, and Tribune. Critical water content (CWC) for BD max in the NT soil was higher than in the CT and MP soils except at Tribune. The BD max decreased with increase in CWC ( r=-0.91). The soil liquid limit was higher for NT than for MP by 82% at Sidney, and it was higher than for CT by 14, 9, and 31% at Akron, Hays, and Tribune, respectively. The SOC concentration in NT soil was higher than in MP by 60% at Akron and 76% at Sidney, and it was higher than in CT soil by 82% at Hays. The BD max decreased ( r=-0.64) and the CWC increased ( r=0.60) with an increase in SOC concentration. Across all soils, SOC concentration was a sensitive predictor of BD max and CWC. This regional study showed that NT management-induced increase in SOC improves the soil's ability to resist compaction.
  • Authors:
    • Celep, H.
    • Tosun, S.
    • Tiryaki, I.
    • Idikut, L.
  • Source: African Journal of Biotechnology
  • Volume: 8
  • Issue: 19
  • Year: 2009
  • Summary: A 2-year field study was conducted to evaluate effects of nitrogen (0, 12.5, 25 kg/da N) rates and previous crops on 2 hybrid corn cv Maverik and Bora varieties planted as second crop following either chickpea or wheat during 2004 and 2005. Split-split plot experimental design was used with 4 replications. Tasseling period, ear silk period, first ear height, plant height, stem diameter, ear length, 1000 seed weight, seed weight of each ear and seed yield parameters were evaluated. Results indicated that effects of previous crops for ear silk period, 1000 seed weight, seed weight of each ear and seed yield of corn varieties were highly significant during both years, while first ear height and ear length were significantly different during 2004, only. The N rates significantly affected tasseling period, ear silk period, first ear height, plant height and seed yield during both years. Effect of N rates was also significant for stem diameter and ear length during 2004 while 1000 seed weight was significant during 2005, only. There were significant differences between 2 corn varieties for tasseling period, ear silk period, first ear height, ear length, seed weight of each ear during both years whereas 1000 seed weight and seed yield showed significant differences during 2004 and stem diameter showed a significant difference during 2005, only. There was a previous crop x N rate interaction for seed yield during both years while significant previous crop x N rate interactions were determined for 1000 seed weight and seed weight of each ear in 2005. This study suggested that N rates and corn cultivars might result significant differences on tasseling period, ear silk period, first ear height, ear length and seed weight of each ear. The results also indicated that species of previous crops significantly affect corn seed yield and yield parameters and winter legumes such as chickpea might help to maximize corn yield in a crop rotation system.