| | Presented at the 18th North American Barley Researchers Workshop, July 17-20, 2005, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada
Russian wheat aphid resistant barley – cultivar and germplasm release
RWA continues to be a devastating pest of barley in the high and dry areas of the Western U.S.A. Screening of the entire National Small Grains Collection in Aberdeen Idaho by the USDA-ARS in Stillwater identified 115 accessions with some level of resistance ranging from 2 to 6 on Webster’s scale of 1 to 9 where 1 is immune and 9 is dead. Resistant germplasm lines were developed from each accession and two of these lines, STARS 9301B and STARS 9577B were released in 1993 and 1995 respectively. A long term prebreeding project was initiated at the USDA-ARS in Stillwater to develop adapted germplasm lines by bringing multiple sources of resistance into barley cultivars and elite lines of both state and federal barley breeders across the country. These breeders as well as extension personal from several states have been involved in field testing of the 62 prebred germplasm lines now ready for release. A detailed description of these lines and a time table for their release will be presented. Along the way several feed barley cultivars have also been developed. The first RWA-resistant barley cultivar, Burton, has released by USDA-ARS in Aberdeen in conjunction with USDA-ARS in Stillwater and several other cooperators. Burton, a 2-rowed, hulled, spring barley, has shown excellent performance in irrigated and dryland areas both in the presence and absence of RWA. Three, 2-rowed, spring, feed barleys, developed by the USDA-ARS in Stillwater and Aberdeen and which are adapted to the extremely arid conditions of the western high plains are currently in seed increase and planned for release this fall. A new biotype, RWA2, identified in Colorado in the summer of 2003, has been found to damage all currently grown wheat cultivars developed for resistance to the original biotype, RWA1. All germplasm lines and cultivars slated for release from this program have been found to be resistant to RWA2 as well as RWA1.
D.W. Mornhinweg (1)*, P.P. Bregitzer (2), D.A. Obert (2), F.B. Peairs (3), D. Baltensperger (4) and R. Hammon (3)
*Corresponding author: Do. Mornhinweg@ars.usda.gov
(1) USDA-ARS, Stillwater, OK,
(2) USDA-ARS, Aberdeen, ID,
(3) Colorado State University,
(4) University of Nebraska
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BARMS: A new relational database for barley breeding programs
Breeding programs generate large amounts of phenotypic data on parents, segregating populations and derived experimental lines. There currently are very few commercially available databases that are specifically designed for use in plant breeding programs.
After conducting an initial study of existing database options that were permitted on our corporate computer systems, it was decided that we should develop a proprietary data solution based on the Oracle TM relational database software engine. The development process was done in stages that were user tested and then refined to meet the requirement standards and user acceptance. The Barley Ag. Research Management System (BARMS) went live in February of 2004 and has routinely used by our barley breeding programs since.
One of most difficult problems in interpretation of multi-location, multi-year data from agricultural experiments is separating the relative contributions of genetics (G), environment (E) and G x E interaction. This can be especially critical when comparing ‘un-balanced’ data sets from lines at different stages of trialing that have not been grown in the same number of station x years. One partial solution to such data sets is to adjust all observations relative to one or more check cultivars. Phenotypic data is stored in BARMS in standard units of measure (i.e. Yield in Bu/A, Plant height in cm) and can be queried in that standard format or in alternate units of measure (i.e. Yield in Kg / ha, plant height in inches). Data for all traits can also be retrieved on a 1-99 RP (Relative Phenotypic) scale where data is set relative to three known check cultivars. The six-row breeding program uses Morex, Robust and Legacy; the two-row breeding program uses Harrington, B1202 and Merit as the three comparator checks. Data points where an experimental line appears in the same trial with all three of the respective checks will be used to calculate a line RP for that trait on a 1-99 scale. In this form environmental and G x E interactions are minimized and the RP value represents a best linear unbiased estimate of the true genotypic contribution. These RP scores can be used to evaluate lines from un-balanced data sets on a more equitable basis.
We designed a SELECTION MODULE in BARMS that permits selections to be made using both independent culling with upper and lower limits on single trait values as well as index selection based on weighted sum of squares of deviation of multiple trait values from defined targets. It is believed that BARMS is the only software program to permit simultaneous use of both selection protocols.
We developed a CROSS COMPARISON MODULE that permits multi-trait evaluation of parental phenotypic data in all possible pair-wise combinations as a predictor of future overall success of the resulting progeny of a cross.
We automated our malt quality laboratory equipment to directly upload evaluation results into the BARMS database. This has reduced the manual entry time and increased accuracy of the micro-malting data coming from our laboratory.
D. B. Cooper and Bruce Westlund
Busch Agricultural Resources Inc., Ft. Collins, CO U.S.A. 80524
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Mapping and molecular marker development of seed dormancy in a barley population derived from ‘Samson’ barley
Wet field conditions just prior to harvest can cause pre-harvest sprouting in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) resulting in significant economic losses especially in barley genotypes with low seed dormancy. Conversely, malting barley varieties with too high dormancy levels can result in inconsistent germination, creating problems in the malt house. Seed dormancy is defined as when viable kernels fail to germinate under optimum conditions of moisture, oxygen, and temperature. Phenotypic selection for sprouting resistance is challenging because the dormancy trait is controlled by multiple genes and influenced by the environment. Developing molecular markers linked to dormancy would be one method of selecting for desirable levels of seed dormancy in barley. Our objective is to identify, map and develop potential molecular markers linked to genes affecting dormancy in ‘Samson’ barley. Several recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were created by crossing ‘Samson’ derived lines, having high dormancy, with hulless barley varieties ‘Falcon’ and ‘Phoenix’. Dormancy levels were calculated using a weighted germination index (WGI) on the RIL population of 239 lines, originally derived from crossing ‘Phoenix’ and ‘Samson’. This phenotyped population is currently being analysed with SSR markers and AFLP analysis. As expected, initial results suggest multiple QTLs throughout the barley genome, with the most apparent marker linkages associated with seed dormancy occurring on chromosomes: 2H, 3H, 4H, 5H, and 6H.
Key words: seed dormancy, marker development, Hordeum vulgare, barley
J.L. Zantinge*, J.M. Nyachiro, S. Chisholm, J.H. Helm, P.E. Juskiw and D.F. Salmon
*Corresponding author: jennifer.zantinge@gov.ab.ca
Field Crop Development Centre, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, 5030-50 Street, Lacombe, AB T4L 1W8
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Genotypic variations in preharvest sprouting resistance and seed dormancy in barley
Seed dormancy is a vital agronomic trait related to seed quality because it determines resistance to preharvest sprouting (PHS). The aim of this study was to evaluate if there are any genotypic differences in spike sprouting and seed dormancy among advanced breeding lines (genotypes) of barley and determine if there is any association between spike sprouting and whole seed dormancy. Five separate tests comprised of 103 advanced breeding lines and registered barley varieties were seeded in the field in 2004 in 8-row plots of 1 x 2.5 m in three replicates arranged in a randomized complete block design. Three intact spikes, mainly from the primary tillers, were evaluated for resistance to sprouting resistance in a rain simulator at 18 oC. Sprouting was rated visually on a 1-5 scale (1= no visible sprouting, 5= 100% sprouted) and ratings were converted to spike sprouting indices (SSI) that took into account the promptness of spike sprouting. The genotypes were designated as resistant (R) to sprouting if they had a SSI range of 3.0 to 4.0; moderately resistant (MR) if 4.1 to 5.0; susceptible (S) if 5.1 to 6.0; and very susceptible (VS) if >6.0. Also whole seeds for each line were tested for seed dormancy based on a weighted germination index (WGI). Continuous variations were observed both in the SSI and WGI among genotypes. There were genotypic differences in tendency for spike sprouting ranging from 3.1 (R) to 7.3 (VS). For the SSI, the hulless barley varieties ranged from 3.5 to 5.9, the 2-rowed ranged from 4.7 to 6.5 and the 6-rowed ranged from 3.8 to 6.5. There were wide variations in WGI ranging between 0 (no seed germination) and 1 (100% seed germination). For the WGI, the hulless barley varieties ranged from 0.2 to 1, the 2-rowed ranged from 0.1 to 0.9 and the 6-rowed ranged from 0 to 0.8. The cultivars Vivar and Xena (feed barley) consistently appeared to have good resistance to spike sprouting. The correlation between the WGI and SSI (r = 0.37), although significant (P > 0.01), appear to be weak.
Nyachiro, J.M.*, J.L. Zantinge, J.H. Helm, P.E. Juskiw and D.F. Salmon
*Corresponding author: joseph.nyachiro@gov.ab.ca
Field Crop Development Centre, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, 5030 – 50 St., Lacombe, AB T4L 1W8
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Using growing degree days to estimate maturity in small grain cereals
For over thirty years, maturities of small grain cereals have been estimated at Field Crop Development Centre by using dry-down rates and moisture contents at harvest. Maturity is estimated to occur at 35% moisture content. Indicator plots of each crop type have been used each year at each plot site to determine a linear rate of dry-down based on Julian days. However ever year, there can be problems in getting the indicator plots harvested during the linear phase of dry-down so we wanted to develop a estimate for dry-down that could be used over a wide range of environmental conditions. In previously reported work, standardized rates of dry-down using growing degree days (GDD=[(Tmin+Tmax)/2] and growing season precipitation were developed for barley, spring and winter triticale, spring and winter wheat, and winter rye. In 2004, data were collected to determine the validity of our GDD-based rates of dry-down. We compared GDD-based maturities with maturities based on the indicator plot dry-down rates. For barley, our best correlation (r=0.80) between maturities using the two methods (n=5,181) was found when the dry-down rate included both GDD and growing season precipitation, however the closest fit based on similar range and mean maturities was found using a mean rate of dry-down based solely on GDD. The 2004 data confirmed over a wide range of environments, that using a standardized rate of dry-down based on GDD was valid. The 2004 data will be incorporated into updated GDD and GDD plus precipitation rates of dry-down, and a final decision will be made on the method of determining maturities from 2005 onwards.
Juskiw, P.*, Helm, J., Salmon, D., and Nyachiro, J.
*Corresponding author: patricia.juskiw@gov.ab.ca
Field Crop Development Centre, 5030 50th Street, Lacombe, AB, T4L 1W8
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Twelve years of barley-based rotations
In 1988 a barley-based rotation was begun at Lacombe. There were eleven four-year rotations that were run for twelve years (three complete cycles). After the12 years, a uniformity trial was run planting all plots to Niska, six-row feed barley. Soil NO3N, PO4P, Na, K, and SO4S were measured in the fall of 1999, with the only significant rotation effect being found on soil nitrogen levels. When green manure followed three years of triticale N levels were the highest, but when green manure followed barley-canola-winter wheat levels were not significantly elevated. A year of fallow did not elevate nitrogen levels. Protein, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and relative feed value of the biomass harvest after anthesis (about the soft-dough stage) were not affected by rotation. Highest post-anthesis (PA) biomass yields were found when the previous year had been fallow, green manure or alfalfa. The lowest PA yields were following barley (although barley the previous year was not the sole determinant of low yields as other rotations with barley the previous year had intermediate yields). Grain yields and test weights were not affected by rotation. However both kernel weights and percent plumps were positively influenced by barley-barley-canola-fallow, winter wheat-green-manure-barley-canola, and barley-barley-alfalfa-alfalfa rotations; while continuous barley and canola-winter wheat-peas-barley had negative effects on these traits. Grain protein levels were highest following continuous barley, wheat-canola-barley-barley and triticale-triticale-triticale-green manure; and lowest following triticale-barley-peas-barley and barley-winter rye-barley-canola. Rotations that led to high soil N levels did not always translate into high protein levels in the grain; and this combined with higher percent plump and kernel weights may mean we need to rethink our recommendation for malting barley production. Further investigation is warranted.
Juskiw, P.*, and Westling, D.
*Corresponding author: Patricia.Juskiw@gov.ab.ca
Field Crop Development Centre, 5030 50th Street, Lacombe, AB, T4L 1W8
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Development of winter hulless barley varieties as a high value crop
Prior to the early 1990’s winter barley cultivars released and grown in the U. S. mid-Atlantic region were traditional hulled feed barley types. Traditional hulled barley has been grown for centuries in the mid-Atlantic region on many farms as feed for all classes of livestock. Demand for low-fiber, high-energy grains by the vertically integrated swine and poultry industries, and availability of brewer’s distilled grains for beef and dairy industries have resulted in greatly reduced demand for traditional feed barley in recent years. In the mid 1990’s, the Virginia Tech Breeding Program realized that survival of winter barley as a viable crop was dependent on development of commercially acceptable winter hulless barley cultivars having high value traits for specific end uses. During the past 10 years, the Virginia Tech barley breeding program has developed hulless lines that yield 314-1129 kg ha-1 higher than initial winter hulless lines developed. Many lines have improved straw strength and grain plumpness and have better resistance to prevalent diseases. Meanwhile, increased interest in the use of hulless barley varieties having high energy and digestibility in manufacturing food and fuel products, as well as feed, has accentuated our desire to develop winter hulless barley varieties having greater marketability in both domestic and foreign markets. Additionally, barley grain contains health-related compounds similar to those found in oats, therefore, adding to its appeal in the health-food sector. The use of barley in ethanol production may soon become a reality and would provide a viable market for hulless barley produced in the mid-Atlantic region. We also have collaborated with nutritionists and chemists to characterize and improve the nutritional and compositional quality of hulless barley via breeding for specific end uses. The breeding program’s first major achievement was the release of the winter hulless barley cultivar Doyce in 2003. In collaboration with the USDA-ARS Eastern Regional Research Center, data on chemical and nutritional composition, including protein, starch, lipid and beta glucan concentration, have been obtained on most barley lines in our replicated yield trials. To date, significant progress already has been made in the development of winter hulless barley lines. We have developed more than 3,000 winter hulless barley populations. This year (2005), we will advance over 350 hulless populations and evaluate 325 pure lines in yield tests and select pure lines among nearly 9,000 hulless headrows. Over one hundred advanced winter hulless barley lines are being evaluated in four states (Maryland, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Delaware). Doyce hulless barley being produced in 2005 will be evaluated in pilot studies for its potential use in ethanol production and as an improved feed component in poultry rations.
W.S. Brooks*, C.A. Griffey and M.E. Vaughn
*Corresponding author: wybrooks@vt.edu
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA
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Multiple dominant and recessive marker stock development
A set of genetic marker stocks for barley, Hordeum vulgare, have been developed. Dominant alleles of several genes are in one doubled haploid stock. A master recessive doubled haploid has matching recessive alleles.
Dominant alleles in the master dominant stock with matching recessive alleles in the master recessive: Blp Vrs1 Pre2 Zeo1 Wst7 Btr Alm Pub Kap Hsh Srh Raw1 Rob Wax Nud Lks2.
Several more multiple recessive stocks are available. A genetic male sterile is present in a recessive background, similar to the above master recessive, for each of the seven chromosomes. Also incorporated on the appropriate chromosomes are five surface wax mutants, five dwarfs, and a few other recessive alleles.
Recessive alleles in the chromosomal stocks:
1H msg1 cer-e ert-b nec1
1H trd
2H msg2 gsh6 eog lig
3H msg5 uzu
3H als
4H msg24 glf1 lbi2 yhd(alm is not present in this stock)
5H msg19 ert-g
6H msg36 gsh4
6H cul2 dsp9
7H msg10 gsh3 brh1
These barley stocks are moderately early maturing. They were grown and selected in western Canada, with alternate generations in growth chamber and greenhouse.
Reference: 1996 Special Issue - Barley Genetic Newsletter. Vol. 26.
The author is grateful to Mr. Les Shugar for producing the doubled haploid versions of the master dominant and recessive stocks.
Robert I. Wolfe
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Genetic male sterile and xenia assisted reciprocal recurrent selection
Two pairs of barley populations were developed to illustrate the potential for genetic male sterile and xenia assisted reciprocal recurrent selection. They carry the following alleles:
1a) msg1, Sex1, yellow aleurone, btr1, cer-e, vrs1, nud
1b) msg2, sex1, blue aleurone, btr1, rob, vrs1, nud
2a) msg1, Sex1, yellow aleurone, btr1, cer-e, Vrs1, nud
2b) msg2, sex1, blue aleurone, btr1, rob, Vrs1, nud
These barley lines are spring habit, and have been selected in central Alberta.
The idea is to speed up selection for yield and agronomic performance by completing a full cycle of reciprocal recurrent selection per year.
Unfortunately, the blue aleurone has proven unsatisfactory for this purpose. Its genetics are too complex, and when blue aleuroned lines are crossed onto lines carrying the yellow aleurone, the blue aleurone does not consistently colour up the resulting seeds.
If a practical working system is to be developed the blue aleurone should be replaced by a gene with two easily identifiable alleles having strong xenia penetrance. A possible candidate is Wax wax, perhaps with the closely linked gsh3 for use as a field identifier. Wax wax can be used in hulled barley, whereas aleurone colour could not. Identification of waxy versus starchy seed would be somewhat tedious, but doable. Normal versus yellow starch might also work if it could be inserted into barley as a single gene effect. The Sex1 sex1 gene is acceptable, along with rob as a field identifier.
This noted, following is an explanation of the concept. There are two generations a year, a crossing generation and a yield test. Two spring barley populations are developed, either two-row or six-, and pure for either btr1 or btr2. They must carry a different genetic male sterile, such as msg1 and msg2. In the crossing generation, in a winter nursery, seeds from the two populations are inter-planted close enough to inter-pollinate and far enough apart to produce several tillers per plant. Each population is normally 50% sterile and 50% heterozygous for sterility. Only seed from the genetic male sterile plants is harvested. The seed from each plant is identified as inter- or intra-population seed. Inter-population seed is planted in a hill yield test in the area for which it is to be adapted, with several seeds per hill, each hill being from one plant. The conditions must mimic as closely as possible a farmer's field for selection to be useful. The parent plants from the winter nursery are ranked according to hill performance, and intra-population seed from the best ones sent south for the next crossing nursery.
New elite germplasm can be incorporated and added to each population.
After a few cycles, F2 seed from the best yield test hills can be entered into the standard breeding system in use in the program.
Robert I. Wolfe
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Isoyield analysis of barley cultivar trials in the Canadian Prairies
Classification of test sites for cultivar trials into groups with similar within-group site performance and response (isoyield groups) is an important step towards identification of appropriate cultivars that are best suitable for different productivity levels in farm fields. The objective of this presentation is to determine isoyield environments in the Canadian prairies based on the analysis of cultivar trials consolidated from individual provinces for barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Yields for the analysis were taken from 324 replicated trials sown at 84 sites across the prairies during 1995 – 2003. The combined use of regression and cluster analyses of the data normalized for averaging the multi-year unbalanced data led to a stratification of the 84 sites into 13 isoyield groups. A comparison was made of the distributions of the variability among and within groups according to three modes of grouping: isoyield groups, soil zones and agroecoregions. There was more variability among isoyield groups and correspondingly less within the groups than that among and within soil zones and agroecoreions. Similar contrasting pattern existed for the variance components involving genotype-environment interaction (GEI) though the GEI variability was generally small under all three modes of grouping. Relationships of site sensitivity (regression coefficient) and stability (coefficient of determination) with site productivity were shown to be a useful aid for selecting a subset of test sites in an effort to improve efficiency and quality of future cultivar testing. Thus, the isoyield analysis should be a valuable tool for a meaningful subsetting of heterogeneous environments and for a reduced GEI impact in cultivar testing and recommendation.
Rong-Cai Yang (1,2)*, Daniel Stanton (2,3), Stanford F. Blade (4), James Helm (5) and Dean Spaner (2)
*Corresponding author: rongcai.yang@gov.ab.ca
(1) Policy Secretariat, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Room 300, 7000 – 113 Street, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6H 5T6;
(2) Dept. of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2P5;
(3) Pioneer Hi-Bred Ltd., 330 – 127 Street S.W., Edmonton AB, Canada T6W 1A3;
(4) International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, c/o Lambourn Ltd., Carolyn House, 26 Dingwall Road, Croydon CR9 3EE United Kingdom;
(5) Field Crop Development Centre, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Lacombe, AB, Canada T4L 1W8
Presented at the 18th North American Barley Researchers Workshop, July 17-20, 2005, Red Deer, Alberta, Canada |
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