Root length and phosphorus uptake by four barley cultivars grown under moderate deficiency of phosphorus in field experiments

Abstract

Four cultivars of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare cvs Lofa, Mona, Salka, and Zita) were grown in field experiments on a morainic sandy clay loam which had received neither phosphorus nor potassium fertilizer for 15 years. Dry matter production, root length, rate of phosphorus uptake per unit root length, and total P uptake varied considerably among the cultivars, particularly after ear emergence. Grain yield of Lofa and Salka was only 10% lower under conditions of moderate P deficiency than under adequate supply of P, whereas that of Mona and Zita was 20 and 35% lower, respectively. Hence, it should be possible to improve barley cultivars for a high productivity on moderate P deficient soils and under constrained P‐fertilizer conditions.

Key words:

• Barley cultivar
• field experiment
• genotype
• Hordeum vulgare
• phosphorus deficiency
• phosphorus uptake
• root length
• soil