Assessing barley (Hordeum vulgare) response to clipping in the semi-arid Mediterranean climate

Abstract

Greenhouse pot trials and field experiments were carried out under rain-fed condition in north-eastern Jordan during 1997–98 and 1998–99 growing seasons, to test 3 barley genotypes for their suitability for both forage and grain production. The varieties Rehani and ACSAD176 produced higher forage yields than Rum. In the field, clipping reduced subsequent grain yield per plant by about 18%, lowering grain weight of the main spike from 2.3 g in the control to 1.8 g in the clipped plants. Clipping increased tiller density of barley plants in the field. Decreases in grain yield following clipping could also be attributed to reductions in the number of grains per spike. Clipping decreased the number of grains per spike by about 9% by reducing the number of spikelets per spike. Cutting reduced 1000-grain weight by about 9%. Clipping induced changes in the relative importance of yield components influencing subsequent grain yield. The yield components reduced by clipping were the most important contributors to loss of grain yield.