YIELD AND GRAIN QUALITY OF HULLESS SPRING BARLEY IN FIELD TRIALS UNDER DIFFERENT NITROGEN MANAGEMENT CONDITIONS

The aim of the study was to evaluate the yield and grain quality (1000 kernel weight, test weight,crude protein, starch, -glucans, total phenolic content, antiradical scavenging activity and-tocopherol content) variation of three hulless spring barley (hordeum vulgare l.) genotypes underdifferent levels of n, in relation to weather characteristics. the field experiments were carriedout at the state stende cereal breeding institute. three hulless barley genotypes ‘kornelija’; ‘st1165’; st 1185’ were studied during two years (2011 and 2012) using three levels of nitrogen(n80; n80+40; n80+80) by split application at the end of the tillering stage. the effects of genotype,n treatment and genotype by n treatment interaction contribute the variation in yield andgrain quality traits for hulless barley genotypes. there were considerable differences betweencrop years in response of hulless genotypes to top-dressing n, with significantly (p < 0.05) highergrain yield, 1000 kernel weight, test weight, starch and -glucans in the growing season of 2012,when rainfall was optimal at the tillering and stem-elongation growth stages. in 2012, a significant(p < 0.05) response to top-dressing n was recorded for grain yield and 1000 kernel weight (atrate n120), crude protein, starch and -glucans (at rate n160). the maximum values of total phenoliccontent, antiradical scavenging activity (in 2011) and -tocopherol content (in 2012) wereobtained with application of 160 kg n ha-1. hulless line ‘1185’ gave the highest grain yield, starch,-tocopherol content and radical scavenging activity, but variety ‘kornelija’ formed significantlyhigher tkw, crude protein and -glucans content.