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Abstract: Water Use Efficiency of Advanced Barley Lines

 
 
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 Water use efficiency (WUE) is a measurement of carbon assimilation or yield as a function of water used and has been found to be related to drought tolerance. The purpose of this poster is to present the methodology used to measure WUE at the Field Crop Development Centre and some of the results of our work. At the Centre, all lines in advanced yield trials are screened for WUE. Seed is planted in pots filled with a known quantity of soil-mix. Moisture content of the soil is measured. Pots are placed in over-flow buckets to collect excess water applied. Pots are placed in rain-out shelters. After emergence, rocks are placed on the soil surface to hinder evaporative losses from the soil surface. All water applied is recorded. After final harvest, soil moisture and any water in the over-flow buckets are measured and these amounts are subtracted from the applied amount. Plants are harvested after maturity. Total above-ground biomass and grain yields are measured. Water use efficiency is calculated as the grain yield per ha per ml of water applied (WUEG) and as total biomass yield per ha per ml of water applied (WUEDM). In most years WUEDM is three to five times as much as WUEG. Well-watered controls have WUEG of 14 to 16 kg ha-1 ml-1 and WUEDM of 42 to 43 kg ha-1 ml-1. Droughted check cultivars have WUEG of 5.6 to 12.7 kg ha-1 ml-1 and WUEDM of 29.5 to 39.7 kg ha-1 ml-1. Using the methodology described we are able to identify lines with superior WUE on either a grain or total biomass basis. While the method is relatively consistent, it needs to be used in conjunction with regular field trials, as lines with good WUE may not perform well under high yielding conditions.

Pat Juskiw and Donna Westling
Alberta Agriculture, Food & Rural Development, Field Crop Development Centre, Lacombe, AB.

Presented at the 3rd Canadian Barley Symposium, June 19-20, 2003

  
 
 
 
For more information about the content of this document, contact Lori Oatway.
This information published to the web on September 29, 2003.