Barley Research Needs and Priorities

Priorities for Barley Research

It is difficult to prioritize every conceivable component of barley production, genetics, physiology, pathology, quality, utilization, and marketing. The Council has therefore attempted to identify broader areas where there is a lack of knowledge, a potentially devastating problem, or a potential for great benefit. In any one area there may be many different ways of approaching research to address the needs. The Council does not contend that these are the only areas where research is needed but that these are the areas that the overall industry has presently identified.

Although the Council is comprised primarily of producer and industry groups, it recognizes that basic research is just as important as practical, applied research. A balance between the two approaches is necessary. While applied research addresses issues of immediate concern to the industry, it is often basic research that leads to new technologies that will impact industry down the road. Funding agencies are encouraged to support both basic and applied research projects. It is essential that we develop a solid understanding of basic science as part of the overall approach to improving and promoting barley as a crop.

These lists of priorities are reviewed every two years and revised by the technical committees. If anyone feels that any area of potential research is missing or that the priorities are in the wrong order please feel free to contact the chairperson of the appropriate Technical Committee or the Chairperson or Secretary of the Council.

Feed Barley Research

The importance of barley as a feed grain in western Canada is often overlooked. It is estimated that up to 65% of western Canadian production is utilized by the Canadian livestock industry. The livestock industry seems to feel that price alone is what is important; however on closer inspection, the supply of a high quality energy and protein source in western Canada is one of the major reasons that feed costs can be low. By increasing feed quality we can further increase the advantage for barley in the ration. Barley is primarily used as an energy source for animals. However, the protein content and quality are often what gives barley an advantage over corn and wheat. While emphasis must be given to the energy component, we must guard against any reduction in protein content or quality.

One of the realities is that over 60 percent of our acreage is planted to malting barleys and this becomes a significant percentage of the barley fed domestically as well as feed barley exported. As long as the malting barley market remains a premium market this will continue to exist. It is noteworthy that over the years this has changed from primarily six-row to two-row varieties.

• Development of quick, inexpensive measurements and analytical tools that will define feed value of barley; especially in relation to animal performance, energy content and voluntary feed intake
• Define the impact of fusarium infection (DON) of feed barley on animal production and health.
• Identify genetic and environmental components that contribute to variability in feed quality; especially in relation to animal performance
• Define value-added components of feeding barley in relation to the quality of final animal products (meat, milk, eggs), animal health and environmental impact.
• Improve the feed quality of barley for specific livestock classes and export markets by plant breeding and genetics.
• Define effects of feed processing and storage on feed barley quality, utilization and animal performance.
• Characterize the feed value of specific barley fractions arising from industrial and food processing of barley.
• Define the relationship between malting and feed quality.
• Define and develop unique barley varieties with novel traits (starch, low phytate, fat) aimed at increasing the nutrient density and utilization.
• Define and improve barley as a forage crop (silage, green feed, straw and grazing) agronomically and nutritionally.
• Develop technologies to enhance variety identification and segregation in the marketplace.

This area relates to production of the crop and all areas of breeding, production, harvesting, weed control, and fertility. In general there is a need for further production research only where there has been a change in the genetic base of the crop or in the production technology base. This will relate to new types of varieties (eg. Hulless barleys), new uses for barleys, or new methods of production (eg. Conservation tillage). The list is not meant to be complete in detail but to cover the broad areas in which research could lead to improvements.

• Develop and improve barley varieties by increasing yield, plumpness, disease resistance, lodging resistance and maturity.
• Research aimed at the genetic improvement of hulless barley for threshability, maturity, yield and disease resistance.
• Research on production practices for hulless barley and those factors which effect crop emergence and stand establishment.
• Improvement of forage barley agronomics and genetics with a focus on lodging resistance, disease resistance and biomass yield.
• Research aimed at the development of heat and drought tolerance characteristics in barley.
• Improve the ability of barley to germinate and grow in cold spring soils and its competitiveness with weeds.
• Investigate the factors which promote the sustainability of barley production in an Integrated Crop Management System
• Improvement in the ability of new barley varieties ( 2-row, 6-row and hulless) to resist shattering and sprouting

• Improvement in malting and brewing characteristics of malting barley for the domestic brewing and export malt industries- see addendum*
• Development of two-row malting barleys for export markets to meet customer specification- see addendum**
• Development of malt products from hulless barley
• Research aimed at understanding and correcting the loss of barley germination sometimes experienced during storage
• Research aimed at the understanding of the basic biochemistry and physiology of barley that will aid in the development of expanded uses for malting barley
• FHB research as it impacts on marketability and processing value
• Automated Quality Testing (AQT), - including variety ID, physical grain selection quality parameters, malting and brewing quality parameters, germination viability prediction tests, etc
• Investigate opportunities for food malt production and uses

Characteristic	Maintain	Develop / Improve
Enzyme Activities	*
Extract	*
Low DMS	*
Protein	*
Balanced Modification		*
Fermentability		*
FHB Resistance		*
Hull Adherence		*
Long Term Germination		*
Varietal Identification		*

• Development and promotion of the nutritional aspects of barley for food
• Development of innovative uses of barley components such as barley starch, high amylose or amylopectin starches, and beta-glucans
• Determine the milling characteristics of barley and the development of barley products from milling fractionation
• Development of extrusion and other processing technologies for barley products
• Identification of barley varieties for use in the Asian food markets, in particular barley tea in Japan
• Identification of barley varieties suitable for use in tortillas
• Research in the use of genetic transformation of barley to meet the needs of new markets in the food and pharmaceutical industries
• Research aimed at the understanding of the basic biochemistry and physiology of barley that will aid in the development of new uses for barley
• FHB research as it impacts on marketability and processing value
• Use of barley grains and fractions in the production of low glycemic foods.
• Barley starch conversion into dextrins and syrups.

• The Technical committee is currently working at expanding this list of priorities.
• Purification-modification of prime barley starches for paper industry applications
• Small granule barley starches – properties and suitability for application in the cosmetic industries

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