COMPARISON OF PEDIGREE AND SINGLE SEED DESCENT METHOD (SSD) IN EARLY GENERATION OF BARLEY

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of breeding methods on grain yield and grain yield components in winter barley cross Timura * Osk.4.208/2-84 by growing 150 lines of F4 generation advanced by single seed descent method (SSD) and 26 lines of F4 generation advanced by pedigree method under two planting densities (400 kernels/m2 and 100 kernels/m2 ). The mean value of the population for grain yield per plot at both planting densities found by the pedigree method (400 kernels/m2 and 100 kernels/m2 ) was significantly increased compared to the SSD method. However, when five most yielding lines developed from both breeding methods were compared, it was found that SSD method was superior compared to the pedigree method at both planting densities (400 kernels/m2 and 100 kernels/m2 ). Five most yielding lines advanced by the SSD method were superior for the traits of lower heritability such as grain yield per plant and the number of fertile tillers at thin planting density (100 kernels/m2 ) in comparison to the lines advanced by the pedigree method. Howerer, pedigree method was superior for these traits at thick planting density (400 kernels/m2 ). Phenotypic variability for all analysed traits was reduced by pedigree method in comparison with SSD method. The SSD method was important in preserving the variability of traits with high heritability such as mass of one grain and the grain number per spike. It was found that even though the selection response is greater in populations with a higher genetic variance it is possible to grow the most yielding lines or lines with similar yields from the populations with a reduced phenotypic variance, but with high mean value for grain yield.