Yield and Water Use of Barley Cultivars Compared Under an Irrigation Water Gradient at Marana, 1987

Abstract

This study was initiated to determine how barley cultivars perform outside the environment for which they were selected. Also, a comparison was made of water use by a one-irrigation barley with water use of a commercial cultivar selected for high yield conditions. Six barley cultivars bred for differing growing conditions (Westbred Gustoe and Westbred Barcott - high input; Arivat and Prato - medium input; and, Seco and 2-22-9 - low input) were compared under 12 water regimes delivered by a line -source sprinkler system. Water use of Seco, a one-irrigation barley, and Westbred Gustoe, a commercial barley, was monitored with a neutron probe. The barley cultivars bred for high, medium, and low input conditions performed best in their respective optimum water levels with the exceptions of Westbred Barcott and Prato. Westbred Barcott (high input) yielded relatively well over all water levels, and Prato (medium input), performed similar to a high input barley. Seco (low input) used slightly less water than Westbred Gustoe (high input), primarily due to its earlier maturity. The water extraction pattern with depth was similar for both cultivars due to the frequent shallow irrigations applied in this study. The water extraction pattern of Seco needs to be investigated under one- irrigation conditions.