ARI Biennial Review for 2018-2019

CROP IMPROVEMENT Breeding barley for grain and hay under conventional and organic agriculture A major aim of the barley breeding programme, both for conventional and organic agriculture, is the creation of varieties that are density-neutral or density-independent, in order to make efficient use of the limited resources in Cyprus environments. Other specific aims include the development of cultivars with improved adaptation to climate change, improved drought and heat resistance and improved quality traits, such as threshability, hectolitre weight, grain uniformity and protein content. The development of cultivars suitable for 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 are performed in five different locations across the island, employing a series of crosses between locally adapted material and promising imported germplasm. Additional trials explore internationally available germplasm, in collaboration with CIMMYT and ICARDA. Following the global trend for a 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. A 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 at the final stages of the registration process to the National Catalogue, while a new naked barley cultivar has entered the national trials. Innovative field phenotyping 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) The new six-row barley cultivar Myrtou 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 climate change-resilient varieties. Although the Action concluded in 2018, the scientific network developed continues its activities, pursuing additional research and funding opportunities. (D.A. Fasoula) National Management Committee Member for the COST Action CA16212 INDEPTH: “Impact of Nuclear Domains On Gene Expression and Plant Traits" Plants have developed the ability to rapidly adapt their genome expression in response to environmental challenges. This Action explores the epigenetic modifications in plant performance and adaptation mechanisms 14 PLANT IMPROVEMENT