Boryana Dyulgerova and Darina Valcheva
Agricultural Academy, Institute of Agriculture, 8400 Karnobat, Bulgaria
Dyulgerova, B. & Valcheva, D. (2025). Genetic parameters and multiple-trait selection in winter barley genotypes. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 31(6), 1137–1148
This study aimed to assess the genetic potential of advanced barley genotypes using REML/BLUP and identify top-performing breeding lines by employing the multi-trait genotype–idiotype distance index (MGIDI). Twenty-one two-rowed winter barley genotypes, including six varieties and 15 advanced breeding lines, were evaluated over two growing years (2020/2021 and 2021/2022) at the Institute of Agriculture-Karnobat, Southeastern Bulgaria. Key traits such as number of spikes per m2, plant height, dry weight of plant, spike length, number of spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike, grain weight per spike, grain weight per plant, harvest index, 1000-grain weight, and grain yield were studied. The combined analysis of variance revealed highly significant variations in genotype, year, and their interaction for all traits except harvest index, which showed no significant variation between growing seasons. Grain yield demonstrated diverse associations with different traits in each season, underscoring the impact of specific environmental conditions. Throughout both growing years, grain yield exhibited a significant correlation with ²the number of spikes per m², emphasizing the crucial role of this trait in selecting high-yielding genotypes of winter barley. In 2021, the multi-trait genotype-ideotype distance index (MGIDI) identified 12 genotypes that outperformed the standard variety; however, only two maintained their excellence in 2022, highlighting the importance of genotype adaptability. Among the selected genotypes, the breeding line 671D-3/10 consistently demonstrated superior performance in both growing seasons, showcasing its adaptability and breeding value. The study contributes valuable insights for selecting high-yielding winter barley genotypes, providing a foundation for future breeding efforts.