Response of Barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) Cultivars to Nitrogen Fertilizer with Sprinkler Irrigation under Sandy Soil Conditions

TWO FIELD experiments were carried out in the Experimental Farm, El-Khattara Region, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt during two winter successive seasons (2009/2010 – 2010/2011). The experiments aimed to study the response of hull-less barley cultivars (Giza 129, Giza 130 and Giza 131) to nitrogen fertilizer levels (40, 60 and 80 kg N/fed) under sprinkler irrigation in sandy soil conditions.
The obtained results could be summarized as follows: Significant differences between the three barley cultivars in all characters during both seasons and their combined were found. Where barley cultivar Giza 131 followed by barley cultivar Giza 130 recorded the highest values regarding plant height (77.7 and 77.6cm), spike length (6.9 and 6.5cm), number of spikelets per spike(54.6 and 53.9), number of grains per spike(42.25 and 37.82), grain weight per spike(1.80 and 1.66 g) and grain(1.533 and 1.455 ton) and straw yields (2.712 and 2.582 ton/fed), respectively. While Giza 129 gave the lowest values of plant height 75.4 cm, spike length 6.3 cm, no.of spikelets per spike 49.4, no.of grains per spike 37.3, grain weight per spike 1.58g, grain yield 1.445 and straw yield 2.512 ton per fed. The increase of N level from 40 to 60 and 80 kg N/fed was followed by a significant increase in mentioned characters in both seasons and their combined analysis. The significant interaction between the studied factors indicated that planting Giza 131 which receiving the higher dose of N (80 kg N/fed) exceeded those of cultivars Giza 129 and Giza 130. This is expected when Giza 131 gave the highest values of 1000-grain weight (39.36 gm) as well as grain yield (1.600 ton/fed) than those receiving 40 or 60 kg N/fed, whereas, the lower values (37.73 g and 1.542 ton/fed for previous traits, respectively) were achieved by planting Giza 129 and fertilized with the 1st dose of 40 kg N/fed, respectively. The yield could have been maximized to 1.607, 1.654 and 1.602 tons/fed due to predicted N addition of 111.11, 110.86 and 77.14 kg N/fed to cultivars of Giza 129, Giza 130 and Giza 131. Based on response equation, the highest optimum yields was 1.570 ton/fed by using of 99.56 kg N/fed were added to cultivar of Giza 130.