Pedigree and doubled haploid lines from seven crosses of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) were compared over 2 years. The lines were tested, in a randomized complete block design, in row plots at Ste-Foy in 1977 and in hill plots at Brawley, California in 1978. There are significant differences between the two methods of pure line production for grain yield, 1000-kernel weight, plant height, resistance to lodging and date of maturity. Furthermore, these significant differences between doubled haploid and pedigree lines seem to be tied to wide crosses. After showing that doubled haploids are superior for resistance to lodging, we conclude that the use of doubled haploid lines must be seriously considered in a barley breeding program on the basis of improved selection efficiency and the short time required to get homozygous lines.
