Mitigating Climate-induced Lodging While Sustaining Fodder Supply Through Cutting Management in Dual-purpose Barley (Hordeum distichon L.)

Recent climate change has adversely affected global food production. Dual-purpose barley offers green fodder for livestock during lean periods and grains afterward. It's essential to identify management practices that mitigate the impacts of climate, particularly lodging, on grain yield. This study investigates cutting management in dual-purpose barley to support sustainable winter fodder production while maintaining grain yields.

The study used a randomized block design with four replications and ten treatments, including T₁: No lopping, T₂: Lopping@30 DAS + 1-inch stump height, T₃: Lopping @ 30 DAS + 2 inches stump height, T₄: Lopping @ 30 DAS + 3 inches stump height, T₅: Lopping @ 45 DAS + 1-inch stump height, T₆: Lopping @ 45 DAS + 2 inches stump height, T₇: Lopping @ 45 DAS + 3 inches stump height, T₈: Lopping @ 60 DAS + 1-inch stump height, T₉: Lopping @ 60 DAS + 2 inches stump height, T₁₀: Lopping @ 60 DAS + 3 inches stump height. Conducted during the Rabi seasons of 2022-24 at Lovely Professional University, Punjab, the study varied lopping time and stump heights, collecting data on phenology, yield, lodging and sustainability.

The results showed that lopping at 30 DAS with a 3-inch stump height achieved the highest grain yield (40.8 q ha^-1), harvest index (36.38%), sustainable yield index (0.86) and shortest maturity time (114 days). Meanwhile, lopping at 60 DAS with a 1-inch stump height yielded the greenest fodder (109.7 q ha^-1). No lopping resulted in the highest lodging severity (2.17), followed by lopping at 30 DAS (1.60). A strong correlation (r=0.99) was observed between 50% maturity and full maturity with grain yield. Lopping at 30 DAS was the most effective for fodder and grain production.