The aim of the barley Breeding Program of CRIFC is to develop germplasm and varieties with high yielding, acceptable quality, resistance or tolerance to important diseases and environmental stresses together with wide and specific adaptation ability for the region and Turkey in general. To achieve this aim, bulk and modified bulk breeding methodologies have been applied. Crossing programs have been designed between high yielding and better disease resistant germplasm and exotic material;
1) to screen the segregating material under suitable conditions,
2) to select better segregants forming the promising populations,
3) to test them for yield, quality, disease resistance and environmental stresses and
4) to test around the region for adaptability.
The selection strategy has been to practice the selection in the environment in which varieties will be grown at the commercial scale. Therefore, the basis of the breeding work has been to screen the germplasm under the stress conditions of the target environment. Screening for cold and terminal drought in two diverse environments (Ulas, Altınova) and for yield in Ankara- Ikizce at F3 has so far proven the success of the screening strategy. Selected populations have been bulked including F4, F5 and F6, single plant selection has been practiced. Bulked uniform lines are gone to Preliminary Yield Trails. Disease and quality evaluations have also been done at this stage. The next step has been to test for yield, disease resistance and quality in a wide range of the environment. Multilocation testing and genotype characterisation have been used to identify the plant materials adapting to different types of stresses. Genotypes by environment (GxE) interactions are important and prohibit any conclusions based on the overall average performance across environments. Plant characterisation is another tool used to improve our breeding work. It has been found that medium earliness, higher tillering capacity, spike fertility, peduncle length, better plant vigour and strong straw are desirable genotype characteristics associated with higher grain yield under cold conditions highland of Turkey. The evaluation of these traits improves selection efficiency under these conditions. This enabled a better designing of crosses aimed at producing improved varieties for these conditions. Landraces were found to have desirable traits lacking in other materials, such as resistance to drought and cold, early plant vigour, long peduncle length and good feeding and malting quality.

Central Research Institute for Field Crops has been established in 1926. Our research Institute holds 11 departments with 160 researchers, and 240 workers. The institute has 550 ha area for experimental purposes.
Our mission includes developing new and superior varieties of wheat, barley, chickpea, lentil and forage crops by traditional and molecular breeding methods as well as carrying out applied and basic scientific research. As the central research institute our mission area includes all regions of Turkey. Thus, the institute is in close contact and collaboration with agricultural research institutes all over Turkey. Further information about the institute can be reached at: https://arastirma.tarimorman.gov.tr/tarlabitkileri/Sayfalar/EN/AnaSayfa.aspx