LENGTH OF VEGETATION PERIOD IN BARLEY CULTIVARS WITH NEUTRAL PHOTOPERIOD
28 barley cultivars with a neutral photoperiod grown in Western Siberia were studied in comparison with Biom and Nikita cultivars grown in Kemerovo region. They differed significantly in the total length of vegetation period. 7 cultivars with the longest period of "shoots-to-headings" interphase (48 - 52 days.) were identified, with the standard Nikita cultivar entering this group. This specific reaction of genetic sources contributes to the fact that in Kemerovo region conditions such varieties can survive spring and summer droughts, which would affect not number of common and productive shoots, and hence the grain harvest less negatively [8; 3]. The shortest period (38 days) was observed in O’conner cultivar (Australia). The shortest "shoots-to-headings" interphase was observed in Australish cultivar (Australia) - 28 days, and the longest - in Clipper cultivar (Australia) - 46 days. The study of the the duration of the vegetation period in the collection of early-ripening cultivars of barley revealed a variation in the range of 79 to 87 days.