Russia

 

Barley Production and Research in Krasnodar Region

 

Shevtsov V., N. V. Serkin, T. E. Kuznetsova, N. I. Gerasimova,

S. A. Levshtanov

 

Krasnodar  Lukyanenko Research Institute of Agriculture

KNIISH, Krasnodar, 350012, Russia, e-mail: barleykub@mail.ru

 

The season of 2002 was very untypical in Krasnodar region, both for precipitation and temperature.  Autumn and winter were rich of rains and snow. In  total,  the rate of precipitation was  950.3 mm in comparison with the average 611.0 mm. Temperature dropped up to -26 C. But barley fields were covered with a very thick snow cover and there was no any plant damage by frosts. April, May and June were very dry. Such weather was favorable for normal grain filling and for successful harvesting. Among biotic constraints snow mould spreading was the main limiting factor, which decreased considerably yield potential of some lines especially susceptible to this new pathogen. In spite of some negative climatic  deviations, the last season in general was very  favorable for barley production. It was the second time in the history of barley cultivation in Krasnodar region, when the average yields more than 50 quintal/ha has been received from the area about a half of million hectares. This result  could be attributed to good weather conditions, advanced technology and introduction of the new winter barley varieties, developed in Krasnodar Research Institute of Agriculture: Michailo (49%), Dobrinya-3 (28%), Kozir (9%). Dobrinya-3 is the most cold tolerant variety, Michailo and Kozir have a stiff  straw, good resistance to lodging  and  high yield potential. In the  official state yield trials on Eiskiy variety testing station yield of variety Michailo was 104 q/ha.

During the last 3 years in the advanced trials in Krasnodar Research Institute of Agriculture and its North-Kuban experimental station the new promising variety Fedor has been identified  and submitted for the official state yield trials (Table 1). Though Fedor variety has a bit taller straw but it is  strong  enough for the yields of 90-100 q/ha. The significant advantage of the new variety in resistance to the most spread diseases including snow mould and resistance to lodging has conditioned a considerable yield increase in comparison to check.

 

Table 1. Characteristics of the new winter barley variety Fedor. 2000-2002

Krasnodar Research Institute of Agriculture

 

 

* Resistance, score: 1-very low,  5- medium, 9-very high

 

It is a common practice  in Krasnodar Research Institute of Agriculture to accompany the transferring of  the new variety on the farmer's fields together with the agronomy package of recommendations on the optimal date of planting, the best seed rate, and variety reaction  on mineral fertilizers and some other agronomic paculiarities.  The data showed the evident superiority in yield of the early winter barley planting in comparison with 10 days late  planting (Table 2).

 

Table 2. Date of planting and n winter barley yield

                                                                            Yield, q/ha

 

Though disease spreading was higher in the first date, but advantage in head density per unit area conditioned yield surplus from 5 to 17% in favor of earlier sowing.

All new winter barley varieties have high tillering capacity and their reaction on the seed rate was not significant starting with 100-200 seeds per m2. Physiologically it is enough to get a  normal yield on the level of 70-80 q/ha with such low seed rate, but in this case weed control is needed.  However,  farmers usually prefer increased seed rates in order to use high stem density like biological herbicides to suppress weedy plants and to avoid harmful application of expensive chemicals. In seasons  with severe frosts the dense crop stands have advantage to withstand low temperature and are able to restore plant number to the optimal level in spring time. Taking into consideration  physiological and agricultural aspects,  we recommend farmers seed rate of 400-500 seeds per m2 or 150-180 kg/ha.

The new  varieties are very responsive on soil fertility (Table 3).

 

Table 3. Influence of mineral fertilizers on the  yield of  winter barley varieties

Yield, q/ha

 

The application into soil of N45P60 K30 kg in autumn under plowing has conditioned the average yield increase from 4 to 9 q/ha. All varieties possess high resistance to lodging especially variety Pavel and could positively respond on increased doses of nitrogen up to N90. Nitrogen top dressing was always very effective. At the current economic situation farmers are able to apply the medium dose about N45-N60. Thus, there are many reserves for the further increasing of barley production in Krasnodar region, when economic situation will improve.