A NEW BARLEY VARIETY RAKHSHAN-10 (AZ-96) FOR BALOCHISTAN

The Rakhshan-10 (AZ-96) barley variety was first tested at AZRC, Quetta during 1986-87 in a nursery of 100 lines (IBON). The higher yielding and disease resistant genotypes were advanced to preliminary/advanced yield trial-A1, B1, C1 and micro plot trials. The line was tested in different regions of rainfed Balochistan in yield trials. The variety showed excellent drought tolerance and produced higher number of tillers with bold grain. Rakhshan-10 (AZ-96) showed excellent results in NUBYT trails conducted by National Coordinated Program Islamabad during 1997-2000. Rakhshan-10 produced the highest grain yield in pooled analysis of NUBYT trial with 2nd position in rainfed and 1^st in irrigated with grain yield of 2244 (-3%) and 3560 kg/ha (12%) during 1997-98, respectively. In year 1998-99 Rakhshan-10 toped in pooled analysis of NUBYT trial with 1st position in rainfed and 5th in irrigated with grain yield of 2430 (+27%) and 2553 (+2%) kg/ha, respectively. During 1999-2000 cropping season it ranked 2nd both in rainfed and irrigated trials under NUBYT with 9% and 7% increase over local check. It has excellent resistance against yellow rust and has 14.40 crude proteins which is an added advantage as feed for livestock. It also has good capability to survive at low temperature (-10°C) and can be planted in February if farmers receive late rainfall. In Balochistan only three barley genotypes were released (Soorab-96, Sanober-96 and Awaran-2002) which were mostly winter types. Rakhshan-10 (AZ-96) is excellent for planting in both winter and spring and it can replace the local barley (rust susceptible and low harvest index) and can produce higher grain yield in spring.