Investigating Irish Heritage Barley responses to waterlogging

Abstract

Waterlogging is a major constraint to barley production and is expected to become a more significant problem as  the frequency of flooding events is set to increase with climate change. Heritage barley lines have seen a renewed interest as brewers and distilleries search for unique selling points. Those maintaining heritage varieties at the Department of Agriculture Food and the Marine (DAFM)  have noted that many have larger root systems than modern counterparts. As waterlogging is a stress primarily associated with roots, a larger root system may provide an advantage. This project aims to characterise the response of Irish Heritage Barley cultivars to waterlogging stress using image-based phenotyping in both field and controlled conditions.