The Role of Total Nitrogen Content of Leaves in Temperature Sensitivity of Barley Cultivars to Puccinia hordei and Changes in Nitrogen Content Occurring During Development of the Disease

Etcbarian, H. R.; Blackburn, F.

The Role of Total Nitrogen Content of Leaves in Temperature Sensitivity of Barley Cultivars to Puccinia hordei and Changes in Nitrogen Content Occurring During Development of the Disease

Authors

H. R. Etcbarian ¹

F. Blackburn ²

¹ Faculty of Agricultural Science and Technology, Aboureihan Campus, Tehran University, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran.

² Agricultural Biology Department, The University of Ncwcastle-upon-Tyne, England

Abstract

The total nitrogen content of three barley cultivars: Cehada Capa (resistant at
25aC), Cl 1243 (resistant at 5°C) and Rika 1 (susceptible at all temperatures) to
Puccinia hordei was determined and compared in healthy and infected plants at 5° and
26°C. The results indicate that the total nitrogen content of cv. Cehada Capa leaves
was greater than that of Cl 1243 and Rika 1 and that of Cl 1243 was greater than that
of Rika 1 when plants were grown at 26°C. When plants were grown at 5°C, the
percentage of total nitrogen content of leaves of cv. Cebada Capa was significantly
greater than that of Cl 1243 and Rika 1, but no differences were found between Rika
1 and Cl 1243. It was concluded that the total nitrogen content has no role in the
temperature sensitivity of barley cultivars. In most cases, especially in susceptible
cultivars, the nitrogen content of infected leaves was greater than that of healthy
plants when plants were incubated at 26°C, but there were no significant differences
between total nitrogen content of infected leaves and that of their healthy control
when plants were incubated at 5°C.

Keywords

Barley cultivars

Total nitrogen content

Puccinia hordei