This thesis presents a stu,ly on the nutrient requirementsrnof four barley (Hord~ vulgare L.) cultivars cultivated inrn'Nelmera.rnThe cultivars were grown in two randomized complete blocksrnin sand culture at four levels each of P (0,0.5,3 and 5.5 mg.eq),rnand Ca ( 0,F,8 and 14 mg.eq.) factorialy combined.rnSeveral growth parameters were determined and leaf nutrientrncontents analysed. The resulting data were subjected to an analysisrnof variance.rnThe results showed that there are treatment effects on therngrowth responses of barley, and differential response of culti'"rnvars to treatments.rnPhosphorue had a sic;nificant effect on all the growth parameters,rnIhosphorus levels as low as 0.5 mg.eg. were able telrnproduce significantly high effects on shoot and root dry-weights,rnculm diameter and blade area of all cultivars. Shoot:root dryweif,rnht ratios of Nech Gebs and Semereta were also significantlyrnaffected by P concentration of 0.5 mg.eq. Significantly higherrnyields for ear dry-weight, grain weight, and ear and tillerrnnumber per plant vccured at 3 mg.eq. of P.rnThe effects of calcium were relatively less pronounced thanrnthat of phosphorus. Root dry~weight, shoct: rout dry-weightrnratio, blade area, and grain weight of all cultivars were significantlyrnaffected by calcium application. These significances, however, were obtained only at higher levels of phosphorus inrnsolution. Oa-application had no significant effect at lowerrnlevels of phosphorus (i.e 0 and 0.5 mg.eq.) in solution.rnSignificant differences between leaf nutrient contents werernobserved only for certain cultivars. Thus, significant treatmentrneffect on % Oa content of leaves was observed only for Keye Gebs,rnPercent Ii content of Enat Nech Gebs and Nech Gebs leaves showedrnsignificant differences, while the same effect for % Mg contentrnof leaves was observed only for Enat Nech Gebs and Semereta-.rnThere were no significant variations in % P content of any ofrnthe cultivars.rnDeficiency symptoms were observed in all cultivars at thernlower P levels (i.e a and 0.5 mg.eq.) irrespective of Oa levelrnin solution. Older leaves of Keye Gebs and Semereta were purplishrnin color while those of Enat Nech Gebs and Nech Gebs werernyellowish green. These symptoms were taken to indicate P-deficiencyrn.â€¢rnOf the four cultivars studied, Semereta had the highestrnmean relative growth rate foll00ed by Keye Gebs, Nech Gebs andrnEnat Nech Gebs respectively;rnMorpholoe;ical differences as a result of treatment effectsrnwere also observed among the cultivars. Semereta had significantlyrnhigher grain yield, ear and tiller number per plant, andrnear dry-vJeight than the vther cuI ti vars. On the other hand, itrnhad Significantly Ivwer root and blade dry-weights.rnaemereta also performed better than any of the other cUltivarsrnat very low phosphorus concentrations in solution.