Evaluation of barley mutant lines in dry areas of Cyprus

The high yielding barley lines, Athenais, Attiki and Beecher, were treated with γ-rays, fast neutrons and EMS at different doses. Screening was carried out for both agronomic performance and quality. Lines having yield lower than the control were not selected as, at present, there is no premium price for grain with improved quality. Some lines were selected from trials conducted at four locations with up to 11% higher grain yield, 7% higher DBC and Kjeldahl protein content and 20% higher protein yield. These lines will be tested at more locations and for 2-3 more years in order to evaluate their adaptation to dry areas and their suitability for commercial cultivation. (author)