Effect of dates of sowing and varieties on growth and yield of barley (Hordeum vulgare)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the Rabi season of 2024–25 at the Crop Research Farm, Maharishi University of Information Technology, Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), to assess the effects of different sowing dates and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) varieties on key growth parameters. The experiment was arranged in a split-plot design with three sowing dates—20th November (D1), 30th November (D2), and 10th December (D3)—as main plots, and four barley varieties—RD-2035 (V1), PL-426 (V2), BH-393 (V3), and LSB-2 (V4)—as sub-plots, with three replications. Results demonstrated that early sowing on 20th November significantly improved plant population, number of tillers (per meter and plant), plant height, leaf area index (LAI), and biomass (fresh and dry weight) compared to later sowing dates. Among the varieties, RD-2035 consistently exhibited superior performance across all measured growth attributes. The interaction between early sowing and RD-2035 (D1V1) resulted in the highest values for most traits. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing sowing time and selecting appropriate genotypes to enhance early growth and productivity of barley under subtropical agro-climatic conditions.