Assessing yield performance of winter barley genotypes

The aim of this study was to evaluate the grain yield performance and stability of 33 winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) genotypes over a three-year period and to identify the stable and high-yielding breeding lines. The study was conducted at the experimental field of the Institute of Agriculture – Karnobat, in Southeastern Bulgaria, and was organized using a Complete Block Design with four replications on plots of 10 m². Significant effects of environmental conditions on grain yield and substantial genotype-by-year interactions were observed. Parametric and non-parametric stability statistics were applied to identify genotypes with stable and high grain yields. Genotypes Q-28, Q-21, and Q-6 were identified as highly stable. Genotype Q-28 has exhibited superior performance in both stability and mean grain yield, establishing itself as a valuable candidate for breeding programs. The study highlighted the significance of integrating multiple parameters for the effective selection of genotypes that achieve both high yield and stability. The observed negative correlation between grain yield and stability statistics underlines the importance of applying targeted breeding strategies to simultaneously improve grain yield and stability. Keywords: winter barley, grain yield, parametric stability, non-parametric stability