MTCA

Lecture – 3

Barley – Origin, geographic distribution, economic importance, soil and climatic

requirement, varieties, cultural practices and yield

Hordeum vulgare L. Family:- Poaceae

Origin
• Abyssinia – Hulled, Awned type.
• South-East Asia particularly, China, Tibet and Nepal – Hull less six rowed varieties.

Geographic distribution
 Important Barley growing countries:- Russia, Canada, Germany, France, China, USA,
Turkey, India, Australia, Spain.
 Important Barley cultivating states in India:- Rajasthan, UP, MP and Haryana
 Tamil Nadu:- Nilgris and Palani hills.

Area, Production and Productivity of Barley in India 
Area (Million ha) Production (Million tons) Productivity (Kg ha-1)
0.66 1.75 2663

Economic importance
 It is the most important cereal of the cooler semi-arid peoples.
 It is the staple food crop of people in Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan.
 In European country, it is used only as breakfast food.
 Important food crop in higher altitude.
 Chapati, Missi Rotti and Biscuit
 Malt, beer, whisky and industrial alcohol, vinegar.
 Pearl barley to be used in soup.
 Cattle feed and horse feed
 Nutritive value:- Protein – 11.5%, Carbohydrates - 74%, Fat – 1.3%, Crude fibre –
3.9%, Ash – 1.5%.
Classification of barley
Based on number of rows of grain and their arrangement.
[1] Six rowed barley:- Hordeum vulgare
[2] Two rowed barley:- Hordeum distichum
[3] Irregular barley:- Hordeum irregular
Of these, six rowed barley is the most commonly cultivated type
Soil
 Sandy to heavy loam soil.
 Medium fertility is most suited for barley.
 It is the best substitute for sodic soils (Salt tolerant crop).
 Very fertile soil which causes lodging and reduce the yield.
 Acidic soils are not suitable.

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Climate
Barley comes up well in cool climate. Warm and moist conditions are not conducive. It
requires around 12-15°C during growing period and 30°C during maturity. It cannot tolerate
frost. Frost and Hailstorm at flowering are detrimental. Rain at the time of ripening causes
discolouration of grain. The crop possesses high degree of tolerance to drought and Sodic
condition

Season
 Rainfed crop:- Before end of October or first week of November.
 Irrigated:- Ist or IInd week of November
 Late sown:- Up to December
 Hilly Zones (2000 m):- Ist week of November.

Varieties
Two type of varieties are sown
i) Huskless barley
ii) Hulled barley

Suited for hilly areas:- (Northern hills)

1. Himami: Developed at Simla. Medium to lower hills. 140-145 days, 3.2-3.6 t ha -1.
2. Dolma: Medium to high elevation. 140-150 days. Resistant to yellow rust. 3.5 to 4.0 t
ha-1.
3. Kailash: Six row hulled variety. Medium to lower elevation. 145-150 days. Resistant
to yellow rust. Yield: 4.0 t ha-1.

Rainfed areas
1. Ratna: Six rowed hulled variety. Developed at IARI. 125-130 days, 2.5-3.0 t/ha – UP.
Grown in WB, Bihar.
2. Vijay: Developed at Kanpur, 120-125 days,. 3.0-3.5 t ha -1. Suited for cultivation in UP,
Delhi, MP, Punjab.
3. Azad: Developed at Kanpur. Resistant to yellow rust. 115-120 days. 3.5-3.8 t ha -1.
4. Ameru: Developed from Kanpur, 130-133 days, 2.5-3.0 t ha -1. Best for production of
Malt for brewing.
Irrigated areas
1. Jyoti: Six rowed hulled variety. Developed from Kanpur. 120-125 days, 3.5-4.0 t ha -1.
2. Ranjit: Six rowed, semi dwarf, non-lodging. 125-130 days. 3.0-3.5 t ha -1.
Recommended for commercial cultivation.
3. Clipper: Two row barley variety. 135-140 days, 28-30 q ha-1. Best for malt production
and brewing purpose.
4. Karan 18 and 19: 5.0-5.6 t ha-1. Best varieties.

Dual purpose varieties (Fodder and grain): Ratna, Karan 2, Karan 5 and Karan 10.

Newly released barley varieties (2017-2018):- DWRB137, RD2899 and RD2907.

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Cultural practices
Land preparation
Barley being a shallow rooted crop responds well to light textured, fine seed bed. One
ploughing with soil turning plough followed by 2 or 3 ploughings with desi plough or 2 or 3
harrowings by tractor or bullock power. In areas where termites are problematic, mix the
soil with BHC 10% at 20-25 kg ha-1 or aldrin 5% dust at 10 to15 kg ha-1.

Seed Rate
Irrigated: 75 to 100 kg ha-1.
Rainfed: 80 to 100 kg ha-1.
Saline soil: 100 kg ha-1.

Seed Treatment
Captan/Thiram/Bavistin @ 2g/kg of seeds

Spacing
Irrigated crops: 23 cm row spacing
Rainfed crops: 23-25 cm row spacing

Depth of Sowing
Irrigated crops: 5 cm depth
Rainfed crops: 6 to 8 cm depth

Method of sowing
Similar to Wheat
1) Broadcasting.
2) Pora and Kera method.

Manures and Fertilizer

Apply FYM at 12.5 t ha-1 during last ploughing
Recommended
Condition
N : P : K
Irrigated crop 60 : 30 : 20
Rainfed 40 : 20 : 20
Malt production 30 : 20 : 20

Method and Time of application

• 50% N and 100% P and K as basal. Remaining 50 N at 30 DAS (I st irrigation).
• In rainfed and saline soils, entire fertilizer should be drilled below 8 to 10 cm depth
as basal.
• Light Textured soil: N should be applied in 3 splits. [basal + during first irrigation +
during second irrigation].

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Weed management
Up to 30 days is critical. Monocot and dicot weeds found are similar to that of wheat.
• Pre emergence - Pendimethalin 1.0 kg ha-1 + one hand weeding.
• Post emergence - Isoproturan 0.75 kg ha-1 + 0.5 kg ha-1 2,4-D combination on 35-40
days + one hand weeding effectively control both dicot and monocot weeds.

Water Management
It requires 200-250 mm water. 2-3 irrigations are adequate. Light soil requires 4
irrigations. Following are the critical growth stages for irrigation.
1. Seedling or sprouting stage
2. Active tillering stage (30-35 DAS)
3. Flag leaf
4. Milling stage or soft dough stage.
Of these active tillering stage around 30-35 DAS and grain filling (60-65 DAS) are
most critical.

Cropping System
Intercropping
• Chickpea + barley
• Linseed + barley
• Mustard + barley
• Pea + barley
• Lentil + barley
Crop Rotation
• Paddy - barley
• Cotton - barley
• Jowar - barley
• Maize - barley
• Bajra - barley
• Urdbean - barley

Harvest and threshing

 Similar to that of wheat.
 Timely harvest ensures grain quality.
 Threshing either by using animal or mechanical threshers.
 Then winnowing and cleaning are done.
 Storage of grains at 10-12% moisture level

Yield:
Grain – 3 to 3.5 t ha-1
Straw – 4 to 5 t ha-1.

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Oats – Origin, geographic distribution, economic importance, soil and climatic requirement,
varieties, cultural practices and yield

Avena sativa Family:- Poaceae

Origin
Perhaps originated in Asia Minor.

Geographic distribution
 Important Oats growing countries:- USSR, USA, Canada, Poland, China, France,
Australia.
 Important Barley cultivating states in India:- Punjab, Haryana, U.P. and part of HP,
Maharastra, M.P, Orissa, Bihar and West Bengal.
 In Tamil Nadu:- Nilgris.

Area, Production and Productivity of Oats in the World

Area (Million ha) Production (Million tons)
27 40

Economic importance
 Rabi/Winter cereal fodder crops.
 Green fodder contains about 10-12% protein and 30-35% dry matter.
 Used as green fodder, straw, hay or silage.
 Oat grain makes a good balanced concentrate for Poultry, Cattle, Sheep and Horse
feed.
 It is fed to animals mixed with Berseem or Lucerne green fodder.
 Very small portion of oat grain is processed in to food is the form of “rolled oats and
oatmeal” for human consumption.
 Breads, biscuits, cookies, probiotic drinks, breakfast cereals, flakes and infant food.

Classification of Oats
 Group I:- A.brevis: short oats grown in Southern Europe for green fodder, hay
 Group II:- A.abyssinica. “Abyssinian oat” grown in several parts of North Africa for
fodder.
 Group III:- “Common Oat”. It occupies 80% of total acreage under Oat.
 A. sativa:- 80% of total world acreage is under Common Oat.
 A. byzantina:- “red oat” grown around Mediterranean region, Europe and North
Asia and warmer sub-tropical area for both grains and fodder. It also cultivated in
India, next to A. satira. Heat tolerant.
 A. chirensis:- Chinease naked oat extensively grown in hilly parts of China for
grain.
 A. strigosa:- called “sand oat”.
Dual purpose:- Grain and fodder. Grown in Mediterranean region. Of this, 80% of area is
under A. Sativa and the remaining area by A. byzantina.

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Soil
 All types of soils with good water holding capacity.
 Best growth - Loam soils.
 Satisfactory yield - Heavy or Light soil.
 Not suited - Alkaline and Water logged soils.

Climate
It requires cool temperature during germination, tillering, booting and heading. High
temperature at blooming increases empty spikelets and reduces the seed yield. Oat requires
about 15-25°C temperature for its optimum growth. Oat requires more moisture to produce
a given unit of dry matter than any other cereal except rice. Rainfall should not exceed 760
mm and should be well distributed.

Varieties
Kent
Introduced from Australia.
Mid late variety.
Resistant to blight, rust and lodging.
Dual purpose.
Fodder yield 60 to 65 t ha-1.
Grain 3 to 3.5 t ha-1.
Algerian
For irrigated areas.
Slow growing 145 to 150 days,.
Green fodder yield:- 40 to 45 t ha-1.
Bunker 10
Mid-season variety.
Suitable for moisture shortage condition.
Resistant to loose smut.
Green fodder yield:- 40 t ha-1.
Coachman
Introduced from USA.
Erect habit.
Green fodder Yield:- 50 t ha-1
HFO 114
Erect type.
Multi-cut variety.
Suitable for Haryana.
Green fodder yield:- 50 to 55 t ha-1
Grain yield:- 2.5 t ha-1.

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UPO. 50
Medium late and semi erect variety released from Pantnagar.
Suitable for cultivation in U.P.
Resistant to rust.
Blight and lodging.
Fodder yield:- 45 to 50 t ha-1.

Some other varieties:- Shalimar Fodder Oats-1, 2 and 3, SSKO-96, abzar, Palampur 1,
OL 10, JHO-2010-1, OS 377.

Cultural practices
Land preparation
The field should be thoroughly prepared to secure a fine and firm seed bed. One deep
ploughing followed by 3-4 harrowings and planking are sufficient to get good seed bed. Long
narrow beds may be laid out across the field so that only single irrigation channel along the
upper side of the field may serve the purpose.

Seed rate
100 kg ha-1.

Method of sowing
Drill sowing is better than broadcasting.

Time of sowing
• Middle of October to middle of November.
• October middle for fodder production.
• November middle for seed production.

Spacing
20 to 23 cm for fodder.
23 to 25 cm for grain.

Manures and Fertilizer

Apply FYM at 12.5 t ha-1 during last ploughing

Recommended NPK:- 80:40:0 kg NPK ha-1. Apply entire ‘P’ as basal and ‘N’ should be
applied as follows

60 kg N/ha as basal
10 kg N/ha at Ist irrigation (25 to 30 DAS)
10 kg N/ha after Ist cutting.

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Water Management
 Oats requires higher water than wheat.
 Lowest WUE next to rice.
 Irrigated once in 20 to 25 days.
 4 to 5 irrigations provide for good yield.
 Irrigation immediately after each cutting is mandatory.
 Critical stage for irrigation - Tillering stage.

Weed Management
Usually one weeding after 3 to 4 weeks of sowing is enough.

Cropping System
Rotation and Intercropping
• Sorghum – Oat – Maize.
• Maize – Oat – Maize.
• Cowpea – Oat + Mustard – Maize + Cowpea.
• Sorghum + Cowpea – Oat + Lucerne.

Harvesting and Threshing

The crop needs about 120 to 150 days to mature (4½ to 5 months). It is common
practice to take 2 or 3 cuttings of fodder and then to allow the crop to grow for seed. But
normally only two cuttings are taken from the seed or grain crop. Of these two cuttings, first
is taken after 60 to 65 days and second after 90 days of sowing or at the flowering stage of
the crop. Then plants are allowed to grow and set seeds.

Yield
If the crop is allowed after Ist cut for seed set,
Fodder yield – 25 to 30 t ha-1.
Seed – 3 to 3.5 t ha-1.
Straw – 2.5 to 3 t ha-1.

If it has given two cuts,

Green fodder – 50 to 60 t ha-1 and
Seed / Grain yield – 200 to 400 kg ha-1.

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