OPLEMENJIVANJE JEČMA.

The barley breeding program of Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops was started in the early 1960 s. In the period of extensive agricultural production, before 1970, the breeding program was based on mass and individual selection from native populations and domesticated cultivars. During that period, average barley yields ranged between 1 and 1.5 t/ha. In the early 1970 s, barley cultivars from Western Europe were introduced into the commercial production. In favorable years, the introduced genotypes achieved satisfactory yield and quality, reaching those of wheat. The introduced cultivars were the basis for the domestic breeding program and first combination crossings. The breeding objectives of the Institute sbarley program remain unchanged: development of high-yielding, high-quality and adaptable cultivars of feed and malting barley tolerant to unfavorable biotic and abiotic factors. The program produced first NS barley cultivars which were released in commercial production in the early 1980 s. Inclusive with 2005, the program turned out 72 barley cultivars, 37 winter and 35 spring types. Among the winter feed barley cultivars, most popular are the six-rowed Novosadski 27, Novosadski 150, Novosadski 313 and Nonius and the two-rowed Novosadski 529. Among the winter malting barley cultivars, most popular are Novosadski 183, Novosadski 293, Novosadski 331, Novosadski 519 and Novosadski 525. The yield potential of the winter barleys ranges from 8 to 10 t/ha. Spring barleys are grown exclusively for malting. Among those, most popular in the commercial production are Novosadski 294, Pek and Viktor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]