Variability in seed germination of barley cultivars (Hordeum vulgare L.) grown under different nitrogen application rates

Variability in the percentage of seed germination was studied in four winter barley cultivars ('Jagodinac', 'Premium', 'NS 489' and 'NS 495'), grown under four nitrogen application rates (control N0=0, N1=20, N2=40 and N3=60 kg ha-1) during two years of the experiment. The experiment was carried out as a randomised block design in 5m2 plots and with four replications. In both experimental years, the average seed germination was over 90.0% for all barley cultivars and in each nitrogen fertilisation treatment. The maximum seed germination percentage was 98.0% in 'Premium' in the second year in the treatment N3=60 kg ha-1, and minimum germination percentage (90.1%) was also recorded in 'Premium' 'in the first year of the experiment in the unfertilised control (N0=0 kg ha-1). The obtained values of seed germination significantly differed among cultivars in the first and second year. Also, the average values of seed germination under four N fertilisation treatments were significantly different in both years. The average values for both years of the experiment were significantly different among cultivars and treatments. The values of seed germination for all cultivars increased with increasing nitrogen rates, suggesting that phenotypic variability in seed germination was affected by nitrogen fertilisation, which indicated a high value (81.87%) of the component of phenotypic variance for seed germination.