Abstract
In the current context of increasing global food demand and environmental constraints, it is of critical importance to improve the potential yield of cereals and the efficient use of resources. This study evaluated the agronomic performances of barley and wheat hybrids and compared them with conventional genotypes over three growing seasons (2013–2016) in north-west Italy. Field experiments were designed to compare different N fertilization rates and fungicide treatments, and were focused on assessing their impact on crop development, yield components, and overall productivity. Despite being sown at lower seeding densities, the hybrids consistently outperformed the conventional genotypes, achieving 8% and 10% higher grain yields for barley and wheat, respectively. This yield advantage was primarily attributed to an improved tillering ability, which partially compensated for the initial lower plant density (-67%), larger ear size (+23% and +22% of the kernels per ear for the barley and wheat hybrids, respectively), and kernel weight (+3% and +4% for barley and wheat hybrids, respectively). In addition, the hybrids’ canopy stayed green for longer, indicating a prolonged period of active photosynthesis and improved biomass accumulation. The wheat hybrid reached a higher grain yield with fewer N inputs than the conventional genotype, and it demonstrated an improvement in N use efficiency (NUE), while the barley hybrid showed a higher yield potential and improved tolerance to foliar diseases. Overall, the increased yield potential and better NUE of the hybrid genotypes, together with tailored agronomic practices, underscore their potential in promoting a sustainable intensification of cereal cropping systems, thus making them a viable option to meet future food production challenges while mitigating environmental impacts.
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Claims 15
Claim · model-written summary
Barley hybrids yielded 8% more grain than conventional genotypes.
- Taxon
- barley
.jpg?width=60)
Hordeum vulgaree2 - Material
- hybridse1
- Outcome
- grain yieldse2
- Direction
- highere2
- Value
- 8%e2
- Comparator
- conventional genotypese1
- Setting
- north-west Italye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“over three growing seasons (2013–2016) in north-west Italy”
e1“the hybrids consistently outperformed the conventional genotypes”
e2“achieving 8% and 10% higher grain yields for barley and wheat, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Wheat hybrids yielded 10% more grain than conventional genotypes.
- Taxon
- wheat
Triticum aestivume2 - Material
- hybridse1
- Outcome
- grain yieldse2
- Direction
- highere2
- Value
- 10%e2
- Comparator
- conventional genotypese1
- Setting
- north-west Italye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“over three growing seasons (2013–2016) in north-west Italy”
e1“the hybrids consistently outperformed the conventional genotypes”
e2“achieving 8% and 10% higher grain yields for barley and wheat, respectively”
Claim · model-written summary
Barley hybrids had 23% more kernels per ear than conventional genotypes.
- Taxon
- barleyHordeum vulgaree3
- Material
- hybridse3
- Outcome
- ear sizee3
- Direction
- largere3
- Value
- +23%e3
- Comparator
- conventional genotypese1
- Setting
- north-west Italye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“over three growing seasons (2013–2016) in north-west Italy”
e1“the hybrids consistently outperformed the conventional genotypes”
e3“larger ear size (+23% and +22% of the kernels per ear for the barley and wheat hybrids, respectively)”
Claim · model-written summary
Wheat hybrids had 22% more kernels per ear than conventional genotypes.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume3
- Material
- hybridse3
- Outcome
- ear sizee3
- Direction
- largere3
- Value
- +22%e3
- Comparator
- conventional genotypese1
- Setting
- north-west Italye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“over three growing seasons (2013–2016) in north-west Italy”
e1“the hybrids consistently outperformed the conventional genotypes”
e3“larger ear size (+23% and +22% of the kernels per ear for the barley and wheat hybrids, respectively)”
Claim · model-written summary
Barley hybrids had 3% higher kernel weight than conventional genotypes.
- Taxon
- barleyHordeum vulgaree4
- Material
- hybridse4
- Outcome
- kernel weighte4
- Direction
- increaseinferrede4
- Value
- +3%e4
- Comparator
- conventional genotypese1
- Setting
- north-west Italye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“over three growing seasons (2013–2016) in north-west Italy”
e1“the hybrids consistently outperformed the conventional genotypes”
e4“kernel weight (+3% and +4% for barley and wheat hybrids, respectively)”
Claim · model-written summary
Wheat hybrids had 4% higher kernel weight than conventional genotypes.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume4
- Material
- hybridse4
- Outcome
- kernel weighte4
- Direction
- increaseinferrede4
- Value
- +4%e4
- Comparator
- conventional genotypese1
- Setting
- north-west Italye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“over three growing seasons (2013–2016) in north-west Italy”
e1“the hybrids consistently outperformed the conventional genotypes”
e4“kernel weight (+3% and +4% for barley and wheat hybrids, respectively)”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors attribute the yield advantage mainly to an improved tillering ability.
- Taxon
- barley and wheatHordeum vulgareTriticum aestivume2
- Outcome
- yield advantagee5
- Qualifier
- improved tillering abilitye5
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e2“achieving 8% and 10% higher grain yields for barley and wheat, respectively”
e5“This yield advantage was primarily attributed to an improved tillering ability, which partially compensated for the initial lower plant density (-67%)”
Claim · model-written summary
Hybrids were sown at a 67% lower initial plant density.
- Taxon
- barley and wheatHordeum vulgareTriticum aestivume2
- Material
- hybridse1
- Outcome
- plant densitye5
- Direction
- lowere5
- Value
- -67%e5
- Setting
- north-west Italye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“over three growing seasons (2013–2016) in north-west Italy”
e1“the hybrids consistently outperformed the conventional genotypes”
e2“achieving 8% and 10% higher grain yields for barley and wheat, respectively”
e5“This yield advantage was primarily attributed to an improved tillering ability, which partially compensated for the initial lower plant density (-67%)”
Claim · model-written summary
The canopy of the hybrids stayed green for longer.
- Taxon
- barley and wheatHordeum vulgareTriticum aestivumt0
- Material
- hybridse6
- Outcome
- canopy stayed green for longere6
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cultivation of barley and wheat hybrids”
e6“the hybrids’ canopy stayed green for longer”
Claim · model-written summary
The hybrids improved biomass accumulation, as the authors interpret the longer green canopy.
- Taxon
- barley and wheatHordeum vulgareTriticum aestivumt0
- Outcome
- improved biomass accumulatione7
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“cultivation of barley and wheat hybrids”
e7“indicating a prolonged period of active photosynthesis and improved biomass accumulation”
Claim · model-written summary
The wheat hybrid reached a higher grain yield with fewer N inputs than the conventional genotype.
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume5
- Material
- wheat hybride5
- Treatment
- fewer N inputse5
- Outcome
- grain yielde5
- Direction
- highere5
- Comparator
- conventional genotypee5
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“The wheat hybrid reached a higher grain yield with fewer N inputs than the conventional genotype”
Claim · model-written summary
The wheat hybrid showed an improvement in N use efficiency (NUE).
- Taxon
- wheatTriticum aestivume5
- Material
- wheat hybride5
- Outcome
- N use efficiency (NUE)e6
- Direction
- improvemente6
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“The wheat hybrid reached a higher grain yield with fewer N inputs than the conventional genotype”
e6“it demonstrated an improvement in N use efficiency (NUE)”
Claim · model-written summary
The barley hybrid showed a higher yield potential.
- Taxon
- barleyHordeum vulgaree5
- Material
- barley hybride5
- Outcome
- yield potentiale5
- Direction
- highere5
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“while the barley hybrid showed a higher yield potential and improved tolerance to foliar diseases”
Claim · model-written summary
The barley hybrid showed improved tolerance to foliar diseases.
- Taxon
- barleyHordeum vulgaree5
- Material
- barley hybride5
- Outcome
- tolerance to foliar diseasese5
- Direction
- improvede5
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“while the barley hybrid showed a higher yield potential and improved tolerance to foliar diseases”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend hybrids for a sustainable intensification of cereal cropping systems.
Verbatim
e4“underscore their potential in promoting a sustainable intensification of cereal cropping systems”