Breeding Progress in Small Grain Cereals — A Comparison of Old and Modern Cultivars

Abstract

Abstract The present paper reviews the results of comparative studies on old and modern small grain cereal cultivars. The contribution of genetic improvement to the increase in grain yield and the influence of environmental factors on the performance of old and modern cultivars are discussed. The evolution of grain yield components and the effects of breeding on numerous physiological, morphological and biochemical characteristics such as formation of above‐ground biomass, havest index, total N uptake, N harvest index, N concentration in the grains, canopy structure, carbon dioxide exchange, tiller survival, root growth, course of development and enzyme activities are considered.