ASSESSMENT OF MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BARLEY (Hordeum vulgare L.) VARIETIES IN VARYING INTER-ROW SPACINGS AND NITROGEN LEVELS UNDER IRRIGATED CONDITIONS IN NORTH CENTRAL, NIGERIA

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted over two successive cropping seasons, 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, at the National Root Crop Research Institute outstation in Vom, located in the Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State (Latitude 9º56' N, Longitude 8°53' E) at an altitude of 1,217 meters. The primary aim was to evaluate the effects of various barley genotypes, inter-row spacing, and nitrogen application rates on barley production. The study involved three barley genotypes (Traveler, Zhana, and Arupo’s), four nitrogen levels (0, 80, 100, and 120 kg N/ha), and three inter-row spacing configurations (20, 30, and 40 cm), organized in a split-split plot design with three replications. Results indicated that the control group exhibited significantly earlier heading days (49.00 days) in the 2021/2022 season and 49.30 days with 80 kg N/ha in 2022/2023. In contrast, the treatments with 120 kg N/ha showed delayed heading in both years. Notably, the 120 kg N/ha and control treatments achieved earlier flowering days at the 40 cm inter-row spacing in both growing seasons. Among the genotypes, Arupo’s recorded the highest grain yields of 1,251.0 kg/ha in 2021/22 and 1,876.4 kg/ha in 2022/23, achieved with 120 kg N/ha at 20 cm inter-row spacing. The parameters of days to heading, flowering, physiological maturity, and grain yield showed significant interactions concerning nitrogen levels and spacing, as well as between nitrogen and variety, and spacing and variety across the two seasons. In conclusion, the findings demonstrated that the genotype Arupo’s was the earliest to reach heading, flowering, and maturity, and produced the highest grain yield at a spacing of 20 cm and a nitrogen level of 120 kg N/ha. Therefore, it is recommended that farmers utilize the Arupo’s genotype, maintain a 20 cm inter-row spacing, and apply 120 kg N/ha for optimal barley production.