Effects of soil water potentials at different phenological phases of barley crop (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Abstract

The experiment was carried out under greenhouse conditions, with the objective of evaluating the effects of water deficits in three phenological phases of barley crop (Hordeum vulgare L.). Pots were arranged in a randomized block design with nine treatments. They originated from the combination of minimum soil water potentials of -0,05, -0,20 and -1,50 MPa, with the phenological phases of maximum tillering, flowering and milky grain, having been hold uniformly along the rest of the cycle, between -0,01 and -0,05 MPa potentials. Weight of grain, protein content, spike sizes, spike total number and number of hollow spikes, showed that water deficit effects varied with the intensity, duration and phenological phase of the crop, where the flowering phase showed to be most sensitive to the water deficit. Ocurrence of intense water deficit in each phase, as well as repeated cycles of moderated or intense water deficits, led to significative reductions in grain production. Besides, a tendency to a higher grain protein content was observed. Irrigation manegement of barley crop, aiming to a maximum efficience in water consumption must take into account lhe different phenological phases.