Reaction of barley varieties to nitrogen fertilizer

Abstract

SUMMARYFour barley varieties were grown in a greenhouse with varying levels of nitrogen fertilizer in two experiments. One experiment was sown in late September and received supplementary light, the other in March without supplementary light.Varietal responses to nitrogen were essentially the same in both experiments. At low levels, differences in yield and protein content between varieties were small and inconsistent; at high levels, differences were pronounced and consistent. Betzes and Hannchen were highest in yield and lowest in protein, Palliser was intermediate in both, and Compana was lowest in yield and highest in protein. The results correspond with the known behaviourof these varieties under field conditions in Canada, except that Betzes yields more than Hannchen.We suggest that relative potential yields of genotypes can be estimated under similarly controlled conditions.