Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during rabi seasons of 2013–14 and 2014–15 in farmers’ field at model watershed, Neeralkatti village, Dharwad district of Karnataka to study the quality of malt barley genotypes as influenced by integrated nutrient management and in situ moisture conservation practices in rainfed condition. The treatments comprised two main plots as land management practices viz., L1: Broad bed and furrow (BBF) and L2: Farmers’ practice (flat bed); two genotypes viz., G1: DWRB-73 and G2: BH-902 as sub-plots and sub-sub plots consisted of five integrated nutrient management practices viz., N1: RDF (50: 25: 0 N: P2O5: K2O kg/ha+7 t/ha FYM), N2: 75% N through urea+25% N2 through FYM and recommended P through inorganic, N3: 50% N through urea+50% N through FYM and recommended P through inorganic, N4: 75% N through urea+25% N through vermicompost and recommended P through inorganic and N5: 50% N through urea+50% N through vermicompost and recommended P through inorganic. Significantly higher protein content (10.4%), protein yield (220.4 kg/ha), higher malt recovery (88.5%), higher malt yield (1879 kg/ha) and higher reducing sugar content were observed from grains harvested with genotype DWRB-73 grown on broad bed and furrow along with application of RDF (50: 25: 0 N: P2O5: K2O kg/ha+7 t/ha FYM) compared to rest of the treatments. However, genotype DWRB-73 raised on flat bed with the application of RDF (50: 25: 0 N: P2O5: K2O kg/ha+7 t/ha FYM) recorded significantly higher total free phenol content (2.98 mg/g) compared to rest of the treatments.