The Effect of Certain Fertilization Practices and Some Climatic Factors on Selected Morphological and Yield Traits of Barley (Hordeum Vulgare L) Under Rainfed Condition

Abstract

This study was conducted at the Salamiya Research Station – Hama Research Center during the 2021/2022 growing seasons to investigate the effects of different fertilization treatments—mineral fertilization using ammonium nitrate (33%), organic fertilization using fermented manure, and bio-fertilization using vetch seeds and some climatic factors on certain morphological and yield- elated traits of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The experiment was carried out using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replicates. The results indicated a significant superiority of the organic fertilization treatment (fermented manure) across both growing seasons in the studied traits. The average number of grains per spike reached 42 in the first season and 27 in the second. A similar trend was observed for grain weight per spike in the second season, with an average of 0.57 g. In contrast, the highest value in the first season for grain weight per spike was recorded under bio-fertilization (2.80g). A significant difference was observed in the 1000-grain weight under bio-fertilization in both seasons, reaching 41.2 g in the first season and 21.9 g in the second. However, mineral fertilization showed the highest value for plant height in the first season, with an average of 77.1 cm. Regarding grain weight per spike, bio-fertilization recorded the highest values in the first season (2.8 g), and also maintained the highest average in the second season (0.57 g). In terms of total weight, the highest value in the first season was recorded under the mineral fertilization treatmen (687g), in the second growing season, however, the highest value was observed under the biofertilization treatment, with an average of (387g). In contrast, the control treatment showed the lowest significant values across all studied traits number of grains per spike, 1000-grain weight, plant height, total tiller number, grain weight per spike, and straw weight—during both growing seasons. It clearly showed the significant negative effect of the rise of micro and macro temperatures in the second growing season on the studied traits as compared to the first growing season.