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One of the most important effects of climatic changes is increasing temperatures and expanding water deficit stress in tropical and subtropical regions. As the fourth most important cereal crop, barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is crucial for food and feed security, as well as for a sustainable agricultural system. The present study investigates 56 promising barley genotypes, along with four local varieties (Norooz, Oxin, Golchin, and Negin) in four locations to identify high-yielding and adapted genotypes in the warm climate of Iran. Genotypes were tested in an alpha lattice design with six blocks, which were repeated three times. Traits measured were the number of days to heading and maturity, plant height, thousand kernels weight, and grain yield. A combined analysis of variance showed the significant effects of genotypes (G), environments (E), and their interaction (GEI) on all measured traits. Application of the additive main-effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) model to the grain yield data showed that GEI was divided into three significant components (IPCAs), and each accounted for 50.93%, 30.60%, and 18.47%, respectively. Two selection indices [Smith–Hazel (SH) and multiple trait selection index (MTSI)] identified G18, G24, G29, and G57 as desirable genotypes at the four test locations. Using several BLUP-based indices, such as the harmonic mean of genotypic values (HMGV), the relative performance of genotypic values (RPGV), and the harmonic mean of the relative performance of genotypic values (HMRPGV), genotypes G6, G11, G22, G24, G29, G38, G52, and G57 were identified as superior genotypes. The application of GGE analysis identified G6, G24, G29, G52, and G57 as the high-yielding and most stable genotypes. Considering all statistical models, genotypes G24, G29, and G57 can be used, as they are well-adapted to the test locations in warm regions of Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of the study was to evaluate and select the superior barley genotypes based on grain yield and some pheno-morphological traits using a new proposed selection index (SIIG). For this purpose, one-hundred-eight pure and four local cultivars (Norouz, Auxin, Nobahar, and WB-97-11) were evaluated as reference genotypes in four warm regions of Iran, including Ahvaz, Darab, Zabol, and Gonbad, during the 2020–2021 cropping seasons. The results of REML analysis showed that the heritability of all traits (except plant height) was higher in Gonbad than in other environments, while the lowest values were estimated in Ahvaz and Zabol environments. In addition, among the measured traits, the thousand kernel weight and grain filling period showed the highest and lowest values of heritability (0.83 and 0.01, respectively). The results showed that the seed yield of genotypes 1, 108, 3, 86, 5, 87, 19, 16, 15, 56, and 18 was higher than the four reference genotypes, and, on the other hand, the SIIG index of these genotypes was greater than or equal to 0.60. Based on the SIIG discriminator index, 4, 8, 31, and 28 genotypes with values greater than or equal to 0.60 were identified as superior for Darab, Ahvaz, Zabol, and Gonbad environments, respectively. As a conclusion, our results revealed that the SIIG index has ideal potential to identify genotypes with high yield and desirable traits. Therefore, the use of this index can be beneficial in screening better genotypes in the early stages of any breeding program for any crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]