Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Variation in developmental patterns of wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum L.) and cultivated barley (H. vulgare L.)

  • Published:
Euphytica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Six wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum) accessions, from a diverse range of habitats, and two spring-cultivated barleys, were examined for variation in durations of development phases. The durations of the leaf initiation and spikelet initiation phases were longer and spikelet growth phases shorter, in wild than in cultivated barley. Across all wild and cultivated barleys the rate and duration of spikelet initiation were negatively correlated, but neither was related to the number of spikelets per spike. The number of spikelets was positively correlated with the number of leaves and the ratio of the number of spikelets to the number of leaves declined with increasing time to anthesis, indicating that each successive leaf was associated with a diminishing increase in the number of spikelets. The duration of culm elongation and final culm length were shorter in accessions of cultivated barley compared with wild barley. This paper also discusses the feasibility for increasing the number of spikelets per spike through breeding for genetic changes in lengths of pre-anthesis phases of development.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

HV:

Hordeum vulgare

CE:

Culm elongation

DR:

Double ridge

HS:

Hordeum spontaneu

° Cd:

Degree days

References

  • Aspinall, D. & L.G.Paleg, 1963. Effects of daylength and light intensity on growth of barley. I. Growth and development of apex with a fluorescent light source. Bot. Gaz. 124: 429–437.

    Google Scholar 

  • Appleyard, M., E.J.M.Kirby & G.Fellowes, 1982. Relationships between the duration of phases in the pre-anthesis life-cycle of spring barley. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 33: 917–925.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cottrell, J.E., R.H.Easton, J.E.Dale, A.C.Wadsworth, J.S.Adam, R.D.Child & G.V.Hoad, 1985. A comparison of spike and spikelet survival in mainstem and tillers of barley. Ann. Appl. Biol. 106: 365–377.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ekman, R., 1981. Biomass component studies in barley, their correlation to some yield characters and estimation of durable effect from fifty years of barley breeding. In: Barley Genetics IV-Proc. 4th Int. Barley Genetics Symp., Edinburgh. p. 104–111.

  • Garcia del Moral, M.B., M.P.Jimenez Tejada, L.F.Garcia del Moral, J.M.Ramos, F.Roca de Togores & J.L.Molina-Cano, 1991. Apex and ear development in relation to the number of grains on the main stem ears in spring barley. J. Agric. Sci., Camb. 117: 39–45.

    Google Scholar 

  • Giles, B.E. & L.P.Lefkovitch, 1985. Agronomic differences in Hordeum spontaneum from Iran and Morocco. Z. Pflanz. 94: 25–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gymer, P.T., 1981. The achievements of 100 years of barley breeding. In: Barley Genetics IV. Proc. 4th Int. Barley Genetics Symp., Edinburgh. p. 112–117.

  • Halloran, G.M., 1990. The genetic architecture of wheatimplications for wheat breeding. Proc. 6th Assemb. Wheat Breed. Soc. Aust., Tamworth, Australia. p. 171–179.

  • Halloran, G.M. & A.I.Pennell, 1982. Duration and rate of development phases in wheat in two environments. Ann. Bot. 49: 115–121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hesselbach, J., 1985. Breeding progress in winter barley. Plant Breeding 94: 101–110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirby, E.J.M., 1990. Coordination of leaf emergence and leaf and spikelet primordium initiation in wheat. Field Crops Res. 25: 253–264.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirby, E.J.M. & M.Appleyard, 1987. Cereal development guide. NAC Arable Unit. Stoneleigh, UK. 96 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirby, E.J.M., K.H.M.Siddique, M.W.Perry, D.Kaesehagen & W.R.Stern, 1989. Variation in spikelet initiation and ear development of old and modern Australian wheat varieties. Field Crops Res. 20: 113–128.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kitchen, B.M. & D.C.Rasmussen, 1983. Duration and inheritance of leaf initiation, spike initiation, and spike growth in barley. Crop Sci 23: 939–943.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martiniello, D., G.Delogu, M.Odoardi, G.Boggini & A.M.Stanca, 1987. Breeding progress in grain yield and selected agronomic characters of winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) over the last quarter of a century. Plant Breeding 99: 289–294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Millet, E., 1983. Breeding for large number of spikelets per spike in wheat. In: Proc. 6th Int. Wheat Gen. Symp. Kyoto, Japan. p. 623–628.

  • Nevo, E., D.Zohary, A.H.D.Brown & M.Haber, 1979. Genetic diversity and environmental associations of wild barley, Hordeum spontaneum in Israel. Evolution 33: 815–833.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nevo, E., A.Beiles, Y.Gutterman, N.Storch & D.Kaplan, 1984. Genetic resources of wild cereals in Israel and vicinity. 2. Phenotypic variation within and between populations of wild barley, Hordeum spontaneum. Euphytica 33: 737–756.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oosterom, E.J.van & E.Acedevo, 1992. Adaptation of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) to harsh Mediterranean environments. II Apical development, leaf, and tiller appearance. Euphytica 62: 15–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterman, C.J., R.G.Sears & E.T.Kanemasu, 1985. Rate and duration of spikelet initiation in ten winter wheat cultivars. Crop Sci. 25: 221–225.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rahman, M.S., 1980. A case for closely studying spikelet number and its possible determinants for increasing grain yield in wheat. J. Aust. Inst. Agric. Sci. 46: 229–232.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rashid, A.H. & G.M.Halloran, 1984. Influence of photoperiod on culm elongation and apical development in semi-dwarf and standard-height wheats. Ann. Bot. 54: 375–382.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rawson, H.M., 1971. An upper limit for spikelet number per ear in wheat as controlled by photoperiod. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 22: 537–546.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rawson, H.M. & R.A.Richards, 1993. Effects of high temperature and photoperiod on floral development in wheat isolines differing in vernalisation and photoperiod genes. Field Crop Res. 32: 181–192.

    Google Scholar 

  • Siddique, K.H.M., R.K.Belford, M.W.Perry & D.Tennant, 1989. Growth, development and light interception of old and modern wheat cultivars in a Mediterranean-type environment. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 40: 473–487.

    Google Scholar 

  • Snow, L. & T.Brody, 1984. Genetic variation of Hordeum spontaneum in Israel: Eco-geographical races, detected by trait measurements. Plant Syst. Evol. 145: 15–28.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Crop Improvement, Department of Agriculture, The University of Melbourne, 3052, Parkville, Victoria, Australia

    Graeme C. Kernich & Gerald M. Halloran

  2. Victorian Institute for Dryland Agriculture, Private Bag 260, 3401, Horsham, Victoria, Australia

    Raymond G. Flood

Authors
  1. Graeme C. Kernich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Gerald M. Halloran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Raymond G. Flood
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kernich, G.C., Halloran, G.M. & Flood, R.G. Variation in developmental patterns of wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum L.) and cultivated barley (H. vulgare L.). Euphytica 82, 105–115 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00027056

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00027056

Key words

Search

Navigation