In order to evaluate effects of different survival strategy and canopy structure on cereal radiation use efficiency (RUE) under drought during grain filling, a pot experiment in spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) of cultivar Dobla (able for escape, no productive tiller) and Kompakt (one productive tiller) was conducted. There was no difference in current RUE for leaf dry mass (RUEL) between main stems of tested cultivars, observed. However, in productive tillers of cultivar Kompakt it was approximately double. Taking together, RUEL for whole plants was significantly higher in cultivar Kompakt than in cultivar Dobla. Current RUE for spike dry mass (RUES) in hydrated plants was markedly higher than RUEL, in main stems of cultivar Kompakt with...