Effect of sowing date on dry matter accumulation in two-rowed winter barley

Information about dry matter accumulation is of great importance for further increase of barley yield. Various nonlinear and linear curves have been used to describe vegetative and reproductive growth for a number of agricultural crops. Although dry matter accumulation is an important parameter of crop growth, knowledge about biomass production under agro-ecological conditions of the Pannonian Plain are scarce. This study was undertaken to analyze the pattern of dry matter accumulation in two-rowed winter barley cultivars and changes in biological parameters of the logistic curve under different sowing dates and growing seasons. Therefore, trials with two late cultivars of two-rowed winter barley were conducted in two growing seasons and four sowing dates. Results from this study indicate that dry matter accumulation in both growing seasons followed a typical sigmoid shape. Delayed sowing led to a significant decrease in the maximum value of plant dry weight, the termal time needed to reach maximum value and duration of exponential growth, and increase in maximum crop growth rate. These results indicate that apart from appropriate cultivar selection, early barley sowing is also important to achieve high plant dry matters one of the main determinants of grain yield.