Saleh Saleh1*, Shafik Hakim1 and Abdullah Al-Yousef 2
1 Department of Field Crops, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering, Aleppo University, Syria.
2 General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research, Aleppo Research Center, Syria.
(*Corresponding author: Saleh Saleh, Email: salehalsaleh989@gmail.com, Tel: 0938386194).
Received: 2/ 6/ 2025 Accepted: 5/ 7/ 2025
Abstract
This study was conducted at the Hmeimeh Research Station, affiliated with the Agricultural Scientific Research Center in Aleppo, over two growing seasons (2019/2020 and 2020/2021). The four hybrids and their parental lines were sown in three rows each on December 11, 2019, with the aim of producing seeds of the parental lines and obtaining F2 seeds. Backcrossing was also performed between F1 plants and their respective parents (BC1 with the first parent, and BC2 with the second parent). In the second season, the parents and the plant generations (F1, F2, BC1, BC2) of the four single crosses—(1) Arabi Aswad × Furat 3, (2) Arizona × Alanda-01, (3) Rihan-03 × Alanda-01, and (4) Arabi Abyad × Avit—were sown on December 9, 2020, in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Laboratory experiments were carried out in the Biotechnology Laboratory at the Aleppo Research Center using agar medium for root development. Root scanning and statistical analyses were conducted using the WinRHIZO software to calculate means of selected root traits and yield components and assess the correlation between them under drought conditions. The highest mean number of productive tillers was observed in the fourth hybrid (BC1) with the first parent (11.3), while the highest 1000-grain weight was recorded in the first hybrid (BC2) with the second parent (45.77 g). The highest single plant yield was found in the fourth hybrid with the second parent (23.48 g). Grain yield showed significant and positive phenotypic and genotypic correlations with root traits, including average root diameter (AD), root surface area (SA), root volume (V), and total root length (TRL). The third hybrid recorded the highest mean total root length, while the fourth hybrid exhibited the highest means for root surface area and average root diameter. The second hybrid had the highest total root length under drought stress.
Keywords: Barley, Correlation coefficient, Root traits, Root diameter, Root surface area.
Full paper in Arabic: PDF