Effect of fertilization on barley growth under saline conditions

The barley "Ardhaoui" (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a local population very cultivated in the Tunisian South. It is characterized by its resistance to drought and its organoleptic qualities. The present work is interested in the study of the response of a local population of barley "Ardhaoui", under saline stress condition, to phosphate and potassium fertilization. Two levels of salinity were applied: 2.6 and 7 dS/m to the plants at the beginning of the trial. Several parameters were measured throughout the development cycle of the plants. These parameters concerned phenological aspects (phenological development, duration of entry into heading and grain filling period), morphological (number of tillers, leaves, maximum length), physiological (chlorophyll content, gas exchange) and agronomic (grain and straw yield, total dry matter, harvest index).