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Present study was carried out during winter (rabi) seasons of 2019–20 and 2020–21 at Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh to decipher underlying gene effects for green forage quality characters in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh. Eight diverse barley genotypes, viz. BH902, BH946, DWRB160, DWRB180, RD2552, RD2794, RD2899 and RD2907 were evaluated and crossed in half diallel design. A total of 28 F1s along with 8 parents were sown in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 3 replications. The green fodder was harvested after 55 days of sowing (DAS) and fodder quality analysis was conducted. The crude protein (CP) and nitrogen (N) contents showed mean values of 14.19 and 2.49% ranged from 12.62–15.26% and 2.22–2.68%, respectively. The characters, viz. organic matter (OM), CP, N, lignin (L) and hemicellulose (HCL) showed prepondrance of additive gene effects, whereas acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and cellulose (CL) showed the prevalnce of dominance gene effects. The genotype DWRB180 and two rowed malt barley variety DWRB160 were estimated with desirable additive gene effects for forage intake and digestibility traits. The cross combinations, DWRB160/RD2899, BH946/RD2552 and RD2794/DWRB180 can be further utilized for CP and N contents, whereas, the progenies, viz. BH946/DWRB180 and RD2552/RD2907 were promising for ADF and NDF. GT biplot corroborated positive correlations of NDF with ADF (0.43**), HCL (0.88**) and CL (0.41*). The improvement in forage intake and digestibility characters like ADF, NDF and CL is suggested through complex crossing followed by selection.

Heat and drought stresses have negative impacts on wheat yield and growth worldwide, causing up to 60% and 40% yield losses, respectively, but their combined effect can cause severe losses. The present study aimed to identify the high-yielding genetic resources tolerant to drought and/or heat stresses under climate change scenarios. The field trials on 42 genotypes were conducted at three locations in four environments (normal TSIR-NS, drought TSRF-DR, heat LSIR-HT, and heat and drought combined LSRF-DHT) each for two consecutive years. Yield contributing traits were recorded in all the experiments and all the locations: SI (susceptibility index) and STI (stress tolerance index) were also estimated. GY (Grain yield) was severely affected by LSRF-DHT (48.6%), followed by TSRF-DR (23.6%) and LSIR-HT (16.8%). GY had a positive correlation with BM (biomass), HI (harvest index), and TGW (1000-grain weight) under all environments and negative with DH (days to heading) (LSIR-HT and LSRF-DHT). Stepwise regression analysis revealed a higher contribution of BM and HI towards GY under all environments. GW (grain weight/spike) contributed under LSIR-HT and LSRF-DHT, and GN (grain number/spike) under TSIR-NS and TSRF-DR. GFD (grain-filling duration), TGW, and PTL (productive tillers) contributed under all conditions except LSRF-DHT. WS 2016-4 was the only genotype that yielded high under all the conditions. WS 2016-12 and CNM 16-1 were tolerant to heat and drought stresses and high yielding. HINDI 62, HTW 11, and QBP 1606 were less sensitive to all the stresses but low yielding. Overall, out of 30 tolerant genotypes (10 of each category), 19 adapted to escape mechanism which is irrespective of their yielding level. The study demonstrated the potential of identified genotypes in wheat breeding for climate resilience and the traits imparting tolerance to these genotypes.