Barley Variability Unleashes Potential for Higher Yields in Rainfed Areas
Barley plants grown without irrigation were studied to see how different they can be. Some plants were tall with lots of tillers and ears, while others were shorter with fewer grains. The number of ears and grains per plant varied the most. Traits like plant height and grain yield were mostly influenced by genetics, while ear length and number of ears were less so. The plants with high heritability had the most genetic improvement.