| | Niobe is a 2-row feed barley with good yield, early maturity, and a good disease and lodging resistance package. It was developed at the Field Crop Development Centre in Lacombe and is marketed by SeCan Association.
In the Western Cooperative 2-Row Barley Trials, Niobe showed grain yield comparable to CDC Dolly and consistently showed higher grain yield than Harrington in all soil zones. Niobe was tested in the Coop Trials for 2 years as TR 651 and in advanced yield trials for 5 years (Field Crop Development Centre trial data).
Niobe is a 2-row, rough-awned, feed barley, with purple-colored auricles. The spikes are semi-compact, medium length, horizontal attitude, with a mid-long short-haired rachilla. The pedigree/parentage is AC Oxbow/CDC Guardian.
Niobe has mid-maturity (similar to Harrington and slightly earlier than CDC Dolly), and improved lodging resistance compared to Harrington and CDC Dolly. Niobe has a test weight equal to CDC Dolly, while kernel weight and % plump kernels are comparable to Harrington.
Niobe has good disease resistance, with an intermediate level of resistance to net blotch and resistance to both covered and false loose smuts. Niobe has seedling resistance to scald and intermediate adult plant resistance. Similar to the check varieties, Harrington and CDC Dolly, Niobe has low resistance to septoria and spot blotch. Niobe is not resistant to loose smut or common root rot.
Niobe has higher grain yields than CDC Dolly in the 6 t/ha or greater yield class. The Field Crop Development Centre yield data show that Niobe tends to yield 11% to 15% more grain than Harrington in the 4.0 t/ha to 8.0 t/ha grain yield class. Niobe is comparable to CDC Dolly in terms of grain yield, test weight and silage yield.
FIELD CROP DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
Yield Trial Data 1997-2001 | |
| | Yield Class | < 4.0 t/ha | 4.0-6.0 t/ha | 6.0-8.0 t/ha | >8.0 t/ha | | All | |
| | | Dry | | Dry | % | Dry | % | Dry | % | Dry | % |
| | | Yield (kg/ha) | % Check | Yield (kg/ha) | CDC Dolly | Yield (kg/ha) | CDC Dolly | Yield (kg/ha) | CDC Dolly | Yield (kg/ha) | CDC Dolly |
| | CDC DOLLY | 3674.6 | 100.0 | 5117.6 | 100.0 | 7198.8 | 100.0 | 8493.9 | 100.0 | 6500.3 | 100.0 |
| | NIOBE | 3373.3 | 91.8 | 5030.6 | 98.3 | 7321.2 | 101.7 | 8791.2 | 103.5 | 6506.8 | 100.1 |
| | HARRINGTON | 3118.2 | 87.2 | 4460.5 | 87.0 | 6252.6 | 86.7 | 7601.3 | 89.5 | 5679.3 | 87.2 |
| | Chk Yrs | 3 | | 22 | | 30 | | 9 | | 64 | |
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FIELD CROP DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
Agronomic Data 1997-2001 |
| | Maturity | % | | 1000 | % | | Test | % | Anthesis | % | | Height | % |
| | (days) | CDC Dolly | | KWT (gms) | CDC Dolly | | Wt. (kg/hl) | CDC Dolly | (days) | CDC Dolly | | (cm) | CDC
Dolly |
| CDC DOLLY | 100.7 | 100.0 | | 47.2 | 100.0 | | 66.8 | 100.0 | 58.6 | 100.0 | | 80.7 | 100.0 |
| NIOBE | 100.1 | 99.4 | | 42.3 | 89.6 | | 66.0 | 98.8 | 59.8 | 102.1 | | 87.7 | 108.7 |
| HARRINGTON | 99.7 | 99.1 | | 42.0 | 89.1 | | 62.9 | 94.2 | 60.4 | 103.1 | | 84.8 | 105.1 |
| Chk Yrs | 58 | | | 64 | | | 64 | | 60 | | | 64 | |
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WESTERN COOPERATIVE 2-ROW BARLEY TRIAL
Summary of Agronomic Data for all Stations, Averages for 2000 and 2001 |
| | | Yield | Days to | Days to | Height | Lodging | Test Weight | Kernel Weight | % Plump |
| | | kg ha-1 | Head | Maturity | cm | Score | kg hL-1 | g/m | > 6/64 |
| Entry # | Entry Name | [32 sites] | [26 sites] | [29 sites] | [31 sites] | [7 sites] | [30 sites] | [31 sites] | [19 sites] |
| 1 | Harrington | 4684 | 64 | 95 | 76 | 5 | 64 | 43 | 88 |
| 2 | CDC Dolly | 5072 | 63 | 95 | 73 | 6 | 66 | 47 | 93 |
| 12 | NIOBE | 5096 | 63 | 94 | 79 | 4 | 66 | 42 | 86 |
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WESTERN COOPERATIVE 2-ROW BARLEY TRIAL
Means for Yield (kg ha-1)Adjusted High RCBD cv out: 2000 & 2001 Zone Averages | |
| | | Black Soil Zone | Black and Grey Soil Zone | Brown Soil Zone | | |
| | | Mean | | Mean | Mean | Grand Mean |
| Entry # | Entry Name | [7] | | [9] | [16] | [ 32 sites] |
| 1 | Harrington | 4373 | | 5341 | 4464 | 4684 |
| 2 | CDC Dolly | 4513 | | 5783 | 4870 | 5072 |
| 12 | NIOBE | 4763 | | 5944 | 4816 | 5096 |
August 2002, Field Crop Development Centre |
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