Physiologic Quality and Biochemical Characters of Barley Seeds Produced Under Nitrogen Doses and Growing Environments

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is considered one of the most important cereals, such as maize, rice and wheat, due to its multiplicity of usage, as much for human consumption as for feed. The Nitrogen is one of the main nutrients that influences the quality and productivity of barley seeds because it participates in numerous metabolic routes. It is a limiting factor of the production, the lack or the excess can bring consequence to the culture. In this manner, the present study aims to evaluate the influence of different nitrogen doses on the physiologic quality and biochemical characters of brewing barley seeds produced in two growing environments. The experiment was conducted in the 2017 crop season, in a randomized block design, organized in a factorial scheme, being 2 cultivation environment × 2 brewing barley cultivars × 4 nitrogen doses, disposed in four replicates. The physiological quality of the seeds was evaluated by germination, first counting of germination, accelerated aging, field emergence, shoot and root length, dry mass of shoot and root of seedlings, electrical conductivity (3, 6 and 24 hours) and isoenzymes. The growing environment promotes differences in the barley seeds physiologic quality. The nitrogen fertilizing, at dose of 120 kg ha-1, results in superiority in the physiologic quality of seeds. The cultivar BRS Cauê in both environments presented higher vigor. The nitrogen fertilizing alters the isoenzymatic expression of barley seedlings, creating variation in the bands intensity, at different nitrogen doses.