The relationship between leaf canopy development and yield of barley

SUMMARY A study was carried out into the relationship between sowing date, canopy development and yield of four barley genotypes sown in autumn and spring. Yield was considered as the product of PAR absorbed by the crop canopy up till anthesis, the dry matter: radiation quotient, the ratio of grains m 2 at maturity to the weight of the crop at anthesis and the mean grain weight. Equations were derived to predict the time course of the proportion of PAR absorbed in relation to date of sowing using thermal time as predictor. In crops that were not short of water and were fully vernalised, genotypic differences were detected in plant population density, date of anthesis, and the four yield components identified above. All attributes except plant population density were affected by shortage of water but genotypes differed in their response.