Nowruz, a new barley cultivar with lodging resistance appropriate for cultivation in the south warm and dry climate zone of Iran

Nowruz cultivar, with pedigree of GOB/Aleli//Canela/3/Arupo*2/Jet/4/Arupo/K8755//Mora, was resulted from a cross in CIMMYT and subsequent selection in the segregating population and was initially introduced to Iranian national barley breeding in 2007-08 as a pure line. Based on its yield potential and other appropriate agronomic traits this line was selected for further evaluation in the warm regions. Results of observation nursery, barley yield trials and on-farm trials in south warm and dry zone of Iran indicated that Nowruz had a good level of lodging resistance, high number of tillers and high grain yield as well as its desirable agronomic characteristics compared to check cultivars Nimrooz and Zahak. In the Elite Barley Yield Trial conducted in Ahvaz, Darab and Zabol research stations in 2010-13 cropping seasons, Nowruz with average grain yield of 5805 kgha-1 had 9% higher yield compared to Nimrooz check cultivar with grain yield of 5350 kgha-1. Nowruz is a two-rowed spring barley with an intermediate spike density, strong and short stem, high number of tillers and genetic deletion of lateral sterile florets in spike. Also, it shows resistant to moderately susceptible reactions to powdery mildew and barley stripe but completely resistant reaction to net blotch. Based on its desirable agronomic characteristics, Nowruz is expected to be spread over farmer's lands in south warm and dry zone of Iran.