A field experiment was conducted in order to determine the influence of an ecological and low input system on the yield and selected yield components of spring barley. The experiment was carried out for during 2000-2005 on Luvi-Haplic Chernozem on an experimental station of the RIPP in Western Slovakia. Significantly higher (P<0.01) yield of spring barley was found in low input system compared to ecological one. Similarly the yield of dry matter was significantly higher (P<0.01) in low input system. Other studied yield components (number of spike per m -2 , kernels bulk density, and percentage of kernels larger than 2.5 mm x 20.0 mm) were not influenced by used farming systems. Each investigated yield component was highly significantly influenced by weather conditions during years. Since yield and some yield components were higher in low input system, we recommend use it for spring barley growing in studied soil-climatic conditions. When combine the studied years and farming systems, the influence of farming system was slightly lowered, and differences between ecological compared to low input system in yield of spring barley and dry matter were significant at level (P<0.05). Therefore, when consider the combination of farming systems in weather conditions during years, we can recommend use of both farming systems for spring barley growing in studied soil-climatic conditions.

spring barley; farming system; yield components

Presentation: oral