| | Amisk is a six rowed semi dwarf with:
· more plump seed than both the two row and six row checks,
· strong straw for decreased lodging, and
· a better than average combination of disease resistance to stem rust, Septoria, and spot form net blotch.
These traits will make Amisk a good grain and forage barley for western Canada.
Strengths
· Plumps are 16% higher than AC Ranger and 14% higher than Vivar.
· Plumps are also higher than two row checks AC Metcalfe and Xena, by 5% and 7%, respectively.
· Good lodging resistance, better than Vivar and AC Ranger.
· Good disease package with moderate to good resistance to a range of key diseases: resistant to stem rust and Septoria; moderately resistant to spot-form of net blotch; intermediate resistance to net-form of net blotch, scald, spot blotch, and common root rot.
· Forage yields similar to Vivar.
· Quality traits equal to or exceed that of Vivar.
Neutral Traits
· Grain yields similar to checks Vivar and AC Ranger.
· Heading and maturity similar as the checks.
· Plant height equal to Vivar and significantly shorter than AC Ranger.
· 1000 kernel weight and test weight equal to Vivar and AC Ranger.
· Crude protein similar to Vivar.
· DON levels are similar to those of the checks.
Weaknesses
· Susceptible to barley yellow dwarf virus.
· Weaker in loose smut (Ustilago nuda) and covered smut resistance.
Table 1. Mean grain yield (kg/ha) by soil zone in the 2011 and 2012 Western Cooperative Six-Row Barley Trials.
| Entry | Eastern Black1 | Brown | Western Black2 | Grey Wooded | Overall | % AC Ranger | % CDC Mayfair |
| Amisk | 5354 | 5385 | 7545 | 5050 | 5696 | 98 | 104 |
| AC Ranger | 5124 | 5921 | 7128 | 5707 | 5815 | 100 | 106 |
| Vivar | 5075 | 5428 | 7632 | 5645 | 5757 | 99 | 105 |
| CDC Mayfair | 5155 | 4924 | 7088 | 5132 | 5477 | 94 | 100 |
| Celebration | 5058 | 5052 | 6961 | 5232 | 5460 | 94 | 100 |
Coop Mean | 5173 | 5184 | 7352 | 6153 | 5666 | | |
Station Years | 12 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 30 | | |
Coop trials had 21 total entries in 2011, 20 in 2012. 1 Manitoba and Saskatchewan (six locations). 2 Alberta (three locations).
Table 2. Mean agronomic performance in the 2011 and 2012 Western Cooperative Six-Row Barley Trials.
| Entry | Heading | Maturity | Height | Lodging | Test Wt | 1000K Weight | Plump >6/64 |
(days) | (days) | (cm) | (1-9) | (kg/hL) | (g) | (%) |
| Amisk | 55.0 | 97.0 | 75.1 | 2.1 | 60.4 | 40.8 | 87.0 |
| AC Ranger | 55.9 | 98.2 | 79.5 | 5.0 | 61.0 | 40.6 | 72.5 |
| Vivar | 55.8 | 97.0 | 75.5 | 3.2 | 60.9 | 40.5 | 74.9 |
| CDC Mayfair | 54.0 | 95.5 | 82.1 | 3.6 | 61.4 | 38.4 | 84.6 |
| Celebration | 54.3 | 95.0 | 81.0 | 3.6 | 63.1 | 36.7 | 83.4 |
Mean | 54.5 | 96.4 | 80.0 | 3.5 | 61.0 | 39.3 | 79.9 |
LSD 0.05 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 3.1 |
Station Years | 30 | 23 | 33 | 9 | 28 | 27 | 23 |
Lodging score 1-9, 9 being up to 100% lodged. LSD - least significant difference, the value by which means must differ in order to be considered significant.
Table 3. Mean yield and agronomic performance from the 2011 and 2012 FCDC yield trials.
| Line / Variety | Yield (Kg/ha) | Anthesis (days) | Maturity (days) | Height (cm) | Test Wt. (kg/hL) | 1000 K Wt. (g) | Plump >6/64 (%) |
| Amisk(M98206002) | 7636 | 55 | 102 | 85 | 60 | 43 | 86 |
| AC Ranger | 7912 | 56 | 103 | 90 | 61 | 43 | 73 |
| Vivar | 7750 | 57 | 102 | 83 | 62 | 43 | 74 |
| Sundre | 7052 | 56 | 102 | 93 | 64 | 43 | 77 |
Station Years | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 11 |
Table 4. Mean silage yield and quality characteristics in the 2011 and 2012 FCDC silage trials.
| Line/Variety | Dry Silage Yield (kg/ha) | % of Vivar | Protein (%) | ADF (%) | NDF (%) | Starch (%) | Lignin (%) | NDF30 (%) |
| AC Ranger | 15362 | 104 | 10.6 | 29.5 | 46.9 | 17.2 | 4.0 | 49.5 |
| Chigwell | 14711 | 100 | 11.9 | 31.3 | 49.8 | 16.5 | 4.3 | 47.9 |
| Amisk (M98206002) | 15700 | 107 | 11.4 | 29.6 | 46.0 | 17.3 | 3.9 | 48.9 |
| Vivar | 14705 | 100 | 10.9 | 29.6 | 48.5 | 17.7 | 4.3 | 47.0 |
Mean | 15006 | | 11.5 | 29.7 | 47.2 | 17.0 | 4.1 | 48.2 |
Standard Error | 235 | | 0.2 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 0.3 |
ADF - Acid Detergent Fibre; NDF - Neutral Detergent Fibre; NDF30 - In Vitro Forage Digestibility or disappearance of NDF from forage incubated in rumen fluid for 30 hrs.
Table 5. Disease ratings.
| Line/Variety | Loose Smut | Other Smuts | Root Rot | Scald | Spot Form Blotch | Net Form Blotch | Fusarium Head Blight |
| Amisk | VP | P | P | F | G | F | VP |
| AC Ranger | P | F | G | P | G | F | VP |
| Vivar | F | VG | G | F | G | F | VP |
| CDC Mayfair | VP | G | F | VP | G | P | P |
| VG – very good, G – good, F – fair, P – poor, VP – very poor. Amisk data from Western Coop, checks from Alberta Seed Guide. |
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