Assessment of Winter Barley Genotypes for Yield Performance and Quality
Traits across Eight Experimental Sites during 2024-2025 Year
Eugen-Iulian Petcu1, Liliana Vasilescu1, Vasile Silviu Vasilescu1, Ioana Crișan2,
Benjamin-Emanuel Andraș3, Simona Isticioaia4, Monica-Claudia Tanc5,
Cristina Melucă6, Ramona-Aida Păunescu7, Emanuela Lungu8
1National Agricultural Research and Development Institute Fundulea
2Agricultural Research and Development Station Turda
3Agricultural Research and Development Station Livada
4Agricultural Research and Development Station Secuieni
5Agricultural Research and Development Station Valu lui Traian
6Agricultural Research and Development Station Teleorman
7Agricultural Research and Development Station Caracal
8Agricultural Research and Development Station Brăila
Keywords: six-row and two-row barley genotypes, environment and genotype interaction, yield stability, quality traits, climate adaptation, multi-location trials.
Abstract: Romania's barley cultivation encompasses 516220 hectares (Eurostat, 2025) producing 1.5-2.0 million tonnes annually and establishing the country as a significant European barley producer. This study evaluated the performance of 27 winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genotypes across eight locations in Romania to assess yield stability and quality traits. The total rainfall across the experimental locations during the 2024-2025 barley growing season (October-June) varied from 258 mm (Turda) to 454 mm (Teleorman), representing 196 mm difference between the driest and wettest experimental site.
Grain yield ranged from 3325 kg/ha (Ileana at Turda) to 12252 kg/ha (Cadril at Caracal) with an overall average of 7445 kg/ha, highlighting significant genotype and environment interactions. Thousand kernel weight (g) (TKW) varied from 29.6 (Agil at Fundulea) to 66.2 g (Check at Secuieni), protein content from 9.10% (Check at Valul lui Traian) to 20.4% (Ileana at Livada), and starch content from 56.8% (Ileana at Livada) to 65.2% (Gabriela at Valu lui Traian), indicating significant variation in barley quality parameters.
Six-row genotypes achieved superior average grain yield (7530 kg/ha) compared to two-row genotypes (7339 kg/ha) with a small difference of 191 kg/ha. However, two-row barley genotypes highlighted higher thousand-grain weight (TGW), 50.6 g compared with 44.1 g. Plant height (cm) ranged from 64 cm to 140 cm with a negative correlation to yield performance (r = -0.367), suggesting lodging susceptibility in taller genotypes. The highest yield values (as locations average) were obtained by genotypes included F8-38-24 (9050 kg/ha, two-row genotype) and Cadril (8885 kg/ha, six-row genotype). Experimental sites significantly influenced yield potential, with southern regions (Caracal, Teleorman, Fundulea, Brăila) achieving superior yields (with a mean of 8602 kg/ha across 4 locations) compared to central and northern locations (Turda and Livada - 5590 kg/ha). This findings facilitate precision genotype deployment that enhances barley performance for targeted industrial end-use while securing yield stability under Romania's variable environmental conditions.