ARI REVIEW FOR 2016-2017

dual grain and hay consumption, with improved stability of performance and reduced interaction with the environment has been a priority. An additional priority is the development of varieties appropriate for Organic Agriculture with increased tillering capacity and other specific traits using an innovative field selection methodology based on the unique properties of the Honeycomb Selection Designs and the prognostic breeding paradigm. Trials were performed in five different locations across the island, employing a series of crosses between locally adapted material and promising imported germplasm. Trials using internationally available germplasm, in collaboration with CIMMYT and ICARDA, continued. Following the global trend for healthy and well-balanced human diet, the barley breeding programme has also focused on the development of naked barley cultivars appropriate for human nutrition and on cultivars adaptable to organic cultivation. The new 2- row barley variety ‘Politiko’ has been registered in the National Catalogue. A new, six-row barley cultivar, named Myrtou, with improved biomass and tillering capacity has been subjected to the official national tests and is going through the final stages of registration to the National Catalogue, while a new naked barley cultivar is ready to enter the national trials. Innovative breeding approaches are being developed. An important component of the barley and cowpea breeding programmes is bridging the gap between genotype and phenotype, employing novel methods of precision phenotyping at the single plant level grown under the Honeycomb Selection Designs and distances that eliminate the masking effects of interplant competition and soil heterogeneity. In this respect, a novel barley mutant, identified through our specific trials, was found associated with improved performance and is being further characterised. ( D.A. Fasoula ) National Management Committee Member for the COST Action FA1306: “The quest for tolerant varieties: phenotyping at plant and cellular level” This Action recognises plant phenotyping as an emerging science and a major bottleneck to characterise germplasm and create stress tolerant varieties. ARI actively participates with its innovative Prognostic Field Phenotyping methodology, using the Honeycomb Field Selection Designs and the Prognostic Breeding Paradigm. ( D.A. Fasoula ) 16 Plant Improvement