Barley Cultivation Guide
Improved barley practices — varieties, sowing and crop management.
BH-393 Recommended for timely sowing in irrigated areas of northern India. Medium-tall, six-row type with light yellow medium grains and thin husk — excellent for malting. Average yield about 20 q/acre. Resistant to molya and yellow/brown rust; tolerant to aphids. Rajat Developed by Quality Hybrid Seeds. Dwarf, lodging-tolerant six-row barley suited to northern states. Bold grain, average yield about 21 q/acre, good for malting. Resistant to yellow rust and leaf stripe. Soil and climate Well-drained loam is ideal. Barley also succeeds on rainfed, sandy and weaker soils. Cool, moist weather suits the crop. Field preparation Level the field. First plough with a mouldboard plough, then 3–4 harrow/cultivator passes with planking after each tillage. Seed rate About 35 kg/acre for irrigated six-row types; 45 kg/acre for late sowing; about 30 kg/acre under rainfed conditions. Seed treatment Treat with 2 g Bavistin or Vitavax per kg seed against smut and leaf stripe. Sowing time Rainfed — second fortnight of October. Irrigated timely sowing — 15–30 November. Late sowing can continue till end of December. Sowing method Prefer seed-cum-fertilizer drill; use pora where surface moisture is low. Row spacing about 22 cm for timely sowing and 18–20 cm for late/rainfed crops. Fertilizer Irrigated guide — 50 kg urea + 75 kg SSP + 10 kg zinc sulphate per acre. Apply full phosphorus and half nitrogen at sowing; remaining nitrogen at first irrigation. Irrigation Usually two irrigations depending on rainfall — first at 40–45 days and second at 80–85 days after sowing. Weed control Intercultivate after first irrigation, or spray 2,4-D sodium salt about 40 days after sowing for broadleaf weeds. Diseases Manage yellow rust, brown rust and related leaf diseases with resistant varieties and protective fungicide sprays (zineb/mancozeb programmes) at first symptoms, repeating every 10–15 days if weather favours disease.