BREEDING ASSESSMENT AND OPTIMIZATION OF WINTER BARLEY CULTIVAR COMPOSITION UNDER DIFFERENT LEVELS OF CULTIVATION INTENSITY IN THE WESTERN FOREST-STEPPE

Abstract

The influence of cultivation intensity on the productivity and morphometric traits of winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars was studied under the conditions of the Western Forest-Steppe of Ukraine. Field experiments were conducted on an automorphic gray forest soil using simplified and intensive cultivation technologies, differing in fertilization, protection, and growth stimulation systems. The study included Ukrainian cultivars (Dostoynyy, Dev’yatiy Val, Valkiriya, Snihova Koroleva) and a foreign cultivar (Titus). Mineral nutrition significantly influenced yield structure, specifically productive stem count, grain number per spike, and grain weight per spike. Under simplified technology, productivity ranged from 4.46 to 6.39 t/ha, whereas intensive technology increased yields to 5.07–8.19 t/ha, confirming a strong response to enhanced mineral supply. The efficiency of realizing the cultivars’ potential largely depended on the genotype. Among domestic varieties, Deviatyi Val and Valkyriia showed the highest productivity (6.39 and 7.38 t/ha). The foreign cultivar Titus exhibited the most prominent intensive type, achieving 8.19 t/ha under high fertilization levels. Yield increments between technologies for Valkyriia and Titus reached 1.17 and 1.80 t/ha, indicating high adaptability to intensive backgrounds. Morphometric indicators showed significant variability; plant height ranged from 71.8 to 99.4 cm. Snihova Koroleva formed the shortest plants, suggesting better lodging resistance, while Deviatyi Val was identified as a tall-growing genotype. Spike length increased under intensification, with Deviatyi Val reaching 7.6 cm. Regarding yield structure, productive stem density was highest in Titus, reaching 1,068 stems/m² through high tillering. Valkyriia realized its potential through the number of grains per spike (up to 45.2 pieces). An increase in grain weight per spike by 0.13–0.14 g was most pronounced in Titus and Valkyriia, demonstrating their ability to effectively utilize improved nutrition during grain-filling. Findings confirm the necessity of a differentiated approach to variety selection based on planned intensification levels in the Western Forest-Steppe.