A recurrent selection programme for grain yield in winter barley

The effect of a recurrent selection procedure was evaluated in a winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) population. Cycle zero (C0) was initiated by crossing six high yielding winter barley cultivars with the short straw cv 'Onice'. The F1's were crossed according to a diallel scheme without reciprocals. A total of 750 S0 plants were derived and evaluated; 329 S0 plants were selected and their progenies (S1 lines) tested. Fifteen S1 lines were chosen and used as parents of cycle 1 (C1), by producing 105 F1 hybrids which simulated a random mating offspring. One hundred and three randomly chosen S1 lines belonging to C0, and 103 S1 lines belonging to C1, were evaluated at two locations. For grain yield a significant difference between cycles was observed. From C0 to C1 the grain yield increased with 307 g/m2. This increase was due to a higher number of seeds per m2. For plant height, heading date and 100-kernel weight no differences between cycles were observed. The positive results obtained in this study indicate the potential usefulness of recurrent selection for developing parents or lines superior for grain yield, with little change in other important agronomic traits. © 1988 Kluwer Academic Publishers.