Genetic improvement of agronomic and qualitative traits of spring barley

Five experiments, involving 24 genotypes, were carried out over three seasons to estimate the increase both in grain yield and other selected agronomic traits, and in potential malt extract of spring barley achieved by plant breeders during a period of over 160 years. In all experiments there was neither a chemical control of fungal diseases nor physical support of the tall, older genotypes to prevent yield losses from attack by fungi and lodging, respectively. In all experiments the most modern cultivars yielded more than the older ones. Significant breeding progress was also observed for plant height, resistance score, protein content and potential malt extract. The trend over time was generally of a curvilinear nature, showing no or only a slight increase till the 1950s and/or 1960s, and a greater rate of increase during the last 40 years of barley breeding. Using data from the official trials of cultivars and advanced breeding lines a linear increase in yield per year of 60 kg/ha since the 1950s was calculated for the low-rainfall conditions of eastern Austria.