Effect of seeding depth, kernel size on germination% and seedling differentiation of barley crop (Hordeum vulgare L)

A pot experiment was carried out in the winter season of 2016/2017, to study the effect of depth of seeding (3,6 and 9 cm) and  kernel size (small, intermediate and large on germination percent and vigor, seedling characteristics including seedling length, root length ,seedling fresh weight and growth stages of seedling represented by days to unfolding of first, second and third leaf, in addition to leaf area and relative growth rate in barley cultivar Rihan-3. The experiment was laid out as factorial in randomized complete block design of three replicates. The results indicated a significant superiority of the 3 cm depth, compared to the other depths, in initiation of germination and the characteristics of seedlings where it gave the least number of days to emergence (6.78days), highest germination percentage (77.8%), seedling length and fresh weight (6.67 cm and 1.611 g, respectively), highest germination vigor (844) and highest relative growth rate (1.504 g/ day).The results also showed that large-sized kernels gave the highest values for germination percent (78.9 %), least time for differentiation of first, second and third leaves, longer seedling shoot and root lengths (13.33, 7.67 and 5.56 cm, respectively), heaviest seedling fresh weight (1.756 g) and seedling growth vigor (1051) in addition to highest values for relative growth rate (1.776 g/ day) and leaf area (192.5 mm²).
Results  showed the highest values ​​with the use of the large size of the grains. Germinant %( 78.9) differentiation  time 0f  1sd-2nd-3rd leaf ,relative  growth  rate (1.776  g /day)  and  seedling   fresh  weight(1.756g), and also length  seedling  and  root (5.56, 7.67, 13.33 cm), and the leaf area (192.5 mm2).