Abstract: To learn about the genetic diversity and provide guidance for the combination of barley parents,differences of grain traits were compared among 137 cultivated and wild barley accessions. Genetic similarity coefficient(GS) and clustering analysis were performed based on the phenotypic values of grain size,row-type and glume. The results showed that grain length was significantly reduced in cultivated barley(8.16 cm) than in wild barley(13.19 cm),but both grain width(3.33 cm) and thickness(2.62 cm) were increased in cultivated barley than those of 2.92 cm and 1.69 cm in wild barley. Variation of grain weight was not significant between them. The variance of grain traits may be correlated with enhancement of panicle per spike and grain quality. Genetic clustering analysis showed the genetic similarity coefficient(GS) varied from 0 to 0.5,with the average value of 0.34. The barley accessions were clustered at GS of 0.334 into 4 groups. Group one consisted of 35 six-rowed hulled barley accessions originated from mid-eastern China for animal food. Group two consisted of 47 six-rowed hulless barley accessions from Qinghai-Tibet plateau for food. Group three consisted 51 two-rowed hulled barley accessions including malting barley from China and wild barley from Israel. Group four included 4 two-rowed hulless barley genotypes,one of which is from Hubei Province and the other origination was unknown. Clustering results were consistent with classification by phenotype of row-type and glume,and related with the usage of barley,but appear unrelated to the origination. Based on the results,crosses between wild barley and two-rowed hulled barley are recommended to accelerate the homozygosis of elite genetic loci to improve the efficiency of barley breeding program.

Key words: Cultivated barley, Wild barley, Grain trait, Genetic diversity

CLC Number: 

• S512.03

• S323