Effect of potassium nutrition and genotypes on yield attributes, yield and nutrients accumulation in barley (Hordeum vulgare) under low available soil potassium condition

A field experiment was carried out at the experimetnal farm of Zhejiang Agricultural University, Hangzhou, Peoples' Republic of China, during the winter season of 1998-99, to study the effect of potassium nutrition and genotypes on yield attributes, yield and nutrients accumulation in barley (Hordeum vulgare L., s.l.) under low available soil K condition. There were significant effects of potassium nutrition on yield attributes, yield and nutrient accumulation of barley genotypes with successive increase in K levels. The maximum grain yield (6.32 tonnes/ha) was recorded with the highest level of K nutrition (225 kg K 2 O/ha) and it was 7.7, 19.9 and 35.9% higher over 150, 75 kg K 2 O/ha and the control respectively. Genotype '96-6' recorded the maximum values of yield attributes, yield and nutrient accumulation in grain as well as in straw, indicating that it is an efficient utilizer of nutrients especially ofK under low available soil K condition and may be utilized for further barley-improvement programme.