Effect of seed size on soil cover, yield, yield components and nitrogen uptake of two-row malting barley

• Main Authors: Neugschwandtner Reinhard W., Papst Silvia, Kemetter Johannes, Wagentristl Helmut, Sedlář Ondřej, Kaul Hans-Peter
• Format: Article
• Language: deu
• Published: Sciendo 2019-10-01
• Series: Die Bodenkultur
• Subjects: malting barley; germination; soil coverage; yield components; nitrogen; braugerste; keimung; bodenbedeckung; ertragskomponenten; stickstoff
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2478/boku-2019-0008

Seed size can influence germination, growth and yield formation of crops. A two-year field experiment was conducted in eastern Austria in 2012 and 2013 with two cultivars (Paula and Tatum) and four seeds size (< 2.5, 2.5–2.75, 2.75–3.25 and > 3.25 mm) to assess the effect of seed size on soil coverage, yield, yield components, nitrogen concentrations and nitrogen yield of spring malting barley. Soil coverage during the vegetation period was higher with a larger seed size in one year. Above-ground biomass and grain yield were not affected by seed size but differed between varieties and years. Seed size, however, affected the yield components. Both varieties had a higher ear density with the largest seed size compared to the smallest seed size. Higher ear density resulted in a lower thousand kernel weight. Grains ear-1 did not differ between seed sizes. Harvested grain fractions, nitrogen concentrations and nitrogen yields were also not affected by seed size.