Determination of ontogenetic selection criteria for grain yield in spring barley (Hordeum vulgare) by pathcoefficient analysis

Path-coefficient analysis was performed to determine the interrelationships among grain yield, yield components (spike number per m-2, kernel number per spike, average kernel weight) and somephenological characteristics (duration and growing degree-days of vegetative and grain-filling periods) in spring barley genotypes in 2004-2005. Grain yield depended mainly on spike number per m-2 andkernel number per spike; average kernel weight had a negligible effect on grain yield in spring barley genotypes. Grain yield was significantly and positively associated with the spike number per m-2 andnegatively correlated with other characteristics studied. Spike number per m-2 had considerable negative effect on the average kernel weight. A lengthening of the grain-filling period induced an increase in the average kernel weight and a positive and significant correlation was found between the two characteristics. Spike number per m-2 and kernel number had positive direct effects on grain yield in spring barley genotypes. The growing degree-days (GDD) for vegetative period had significant positive direct effect on kernel number, and the GDD for grain-filling period had significant positive direct effect on kernel weight. The results indicated that spike number per m-2, kernel number per spike and the GDD for vegetative and grain filling period were the most reliable selection criteria for improving grain yield in spring barley in cool and short-season environments

Evaluation of groundwater quality using a GIS-MCDA-based model: a case study in Aksaray, Turkey

WOS: 000384333000025Evaluation of water resources and the protection of these resources from environmental pollutants is a difficult and complex process. In this study, a development of model to estimate the water quality and identify the most suitable regions based on good water quality was aimed. For this purpose, 40 water samples were taken through water wells in Aksaray region of Turkey. A groundwater quality index (AWQI) based on water chemistry data has been developed to assessment the groundwater quality using the techniques of the multi-criteria decision analysis. Based on this index, four suitability classes were defined as excellent, good, permissible and unsuitable. Kriging method was used to determine the spatial distribution of groundwater quality parameters in the study area. For each map, different semivariogram models were tested by cross-validation and the best model was selected. The exponential model having a minimum standard error was selected the most suitable model for deriving water quality maps. The areas that are excellent for groundwater quality are concentrated in the northeastern and southeastern parts of the region where the AWQI-II scores were greater than 0.9. This study provides general information on how to determine the spatial distribution of the groundwater quality and identify the performance scores of criteria affecting water quality in inland aquifers