Genotype-environment interaction of barley doubled haploids with regard to malting quality

The genotype-environment (GE) interaction of barley doubled haploid (DH) lines was studied in relation to some malting quality characters. DH lines were obtained, using the bulbosum method, from F-1 hybrids between the cultivars 'Grit' and 'Havila'. Thirty DH lines, the parental forms, F-2 and F-3 hybrids of 'Grit' x 'Havila' and the standard cultivar 'Rudzik' were studied in a series of field experiments repeated at six environments. Malt protein content, Kolbach index, extract yield and malt fine-coarse difference were measured. The statistical analysis was performed using the computer program SERGEN. For protein content, it was found that most of the lines studied were stable, i.e. their GE interactions were not significant. Among the malt traits, phenotypic values of Kolbach index and fine-coarse difference were most dependent on environmental conditions. For Kolbach index, only one line was found to be stable, while for fine-coarse difference, all lines displayed interaction with the environment.