Qualitative traits variation in barley landraces (Hordeum vulgare L.) from Algeria using Shannon-Weaver diversity index

Hafida Rahal-Bouziane, Samia Yahiaoui, Samira Merdas, Saliha Berkani, Souad Nait-Merzoug, Aissa Abdelguerfi

Abstract: Variations in useful barley botanical traits are very important among others for improvement and food security. This study was done on 29 Algerian barley landraces from Sahara in presence of four controls and aimed to evaluate the variability among these barley genotypes through nine descriptive traits using Shannon-Weaver diversity index (H’). Results showed a great variation existing within the landraces for the majority of the traits studied. Indeed, high values of Shannon-Weaver diversity index were obtained for the curvature of first rachis segment (0.99), the pigmentation of awn tips (0.95), length of rachilla hair in grain (0.88), the disposition of lodicules in the fertile grain (0.85), lemma awn barbs (0.76) and spike density (0.61). H’ was intermediate for lemma type in grain (0.55) and was low for the glume length compared to grain and for the spike shape (0.33 and 0.44 respectively). The high diversity found for some important botanical traits related to seeds and spikes among barley cultivars open large perspectives for breeding programs on this germplasm and is beneficial for conservation, resiliency and for adapting to environmental variations especially those related to climate change.

Keywords: barley; botanical traits; diversity; resilience

Date published: 2020-12-07