Abstract:
A field experiment was carried out to study the differential response of eight malting barley genotypes to boron
toxicity in Aydın, Turkey. Genotypes were grown with and without the application of 40 kg B ha-1. Total dry
matter yield, grain yield and boron concentration of roots, stems, leaves and ears were determined. Boron
application resulted in toxicity symptoms at the flag leaves and reduced total dry matter and grain yield as 12.2%
and 30.5%. Line 7 gave both the lowest yield reduction and toxicity reading score. In soils both with and without
added boron, boron concentrations from the lowest to the highest were determined as ear, stem root and leaf,
respectively. When boron was added to the soils, boron concentration of root, stem and leaf were found to be
different from each. Applying excess amount of B to the soil resulted in dramatic increases in B concentration of
plant parts, demonstrating that cultivars have different abilities to accumulate B if the supply in the soil is too
high. In general, line 7 was found as the most tolerant to B toxicity. Another conclusion drown leaf symptom
scoring for B tolerance was more reliable than measuring plant boron concentrations.
