Winter Barley Production and Research in 2001
W.L. Rohrer, T.H. Pridgen, C.A. Griffey, W.S. Brooks,
M.E. Vaughn, and D.E. Brann
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Growing Conditions
The 2000-2001 growing season was relatively dry with temperatures fluctuating but generally cooler, especially during December, as compared to the exceptionally warm winters of 1999 and 2000. Little precipitation fell during the winter months. A late cold spell in April resulted in significant freeze injury to barley nurseries across the state; however, warm temperatures and dry conditions prevailed through most of the season. Both the Blacksburg and Warsaw areas remained very dry throughout most of the spring. Incidence of powdery mildew [Erysiphe (Blumeria) graminis f. sp. hordei] was minimal while leaf rust (Puccinia hordei) was moderate. Crop lodging was mild to moderately severe.
Production
Virginia producers harvested 45,000 acres (18,225 ha) of winter feed-barley for grain in 2001. Grain yields across the state averaged 80 bu ac-1 (4300 kg ha-1) down from last year's 89 bu ac-1 (4784 kg ha-1). Total grain production in 2001 was 3.6 million bushels (78,367 metric tons).
State Cultivar Tests
A total of 30 winter feed-barley entries and 11 hulless barley entries were evaluated at 5 Virginia locations in the year 2001. Twenty-five experimental hulled lines, five released cultivars, and eleven experimental hulless lines were included in the test. A Virginia experimental hulled barley had the highest average yield with 120 bu ac-1 (6450 kg ha-1). Eleven hulled lines (all VA experimental lines) yielded significantly higher than the test average of 101 bu ac-1 (5429 kg ha-1). Yields for the remaining 19 hulled entries ranged from 95 to 107 bu ac-1 (5106 - 5751 kg ha-1). Nomini, Callao, Starling, Wysor, and Barsoy yielded 106 bu ac-1 (5698 kg ha-1), 104 bu ac-1 (5590 kg ha-1), 103 bu ac-1 (5536 kg ha-1), 98 bu ac-1 (5268 kg ha-1), and 95 bu ac-1 (5106 kg ha-1), respectively. Yields among hulless entries ranged from 82 bu ac-1 (4408 kg ha-1) and 96 bu ac-1 (5160 kg ha-1). Average test weights of hulled entries ranged from 46.7 lbs bu-1 (601 kg m-3) to 51.5 lbs bu-1 (663 kg m-3). Test weights among the released cultivars ranged from 47.7 lbs bu-1 (614 kg m-3) for Nomini to 51.5 lbs bu-1 (663 kg m-3) for Barsoy. Test weights among the hulless barley lines ranged from 57.2 lbs bu-1 (736 kg m-3) to 59.3 lbs bu-1 (763 kg m-3). The test mean for all entries was 52.2 lbs bu-1 (672 kg m-3).
2001 Virginia Barley Yield Contest
Two producers participated in the 2001 Virginia Barley Yield Contest. Clifton Brann of Richmond County won the contest with a yield of 147.8 bu ac-1 (7944 kg ha-1) over a minimum area of 3 acres (1.2 ha). Richard Sanford finished in second place with a yield of 125.8 bu ac-1 (6762 kg ha-1).
Barley Research and Outlook for 2002
Since 1996, the Virginia Tech barley-breeding program has focused on development and evaluation of hulless winter barley as an improved feed crop. The first hulless winter-barley variety is proposed for release within two years. Increased interest in the use of hulless barley in manufacturing food and fuel products, as well as feed, has accentuated our desire to develop hulless varieties having greater marketability in both domestic and foreign markets.
Development of barley varieties having high energy and digestibility designed for feed, food and fuel markets has been of particular interest. Barley grain contains health-related compounds similar to those found in oats and, therefore, has great potential for exploitation in the health-food sector. Use of barley in ethanol production may soon become a reality and would provide a viable market for mid-Atlantic barley. Because hulless barley has high digestible energy as a result of reduced fiber and elevated starch content, it would appear to be ideally suited for ethanol production. Potential advantages in using hulless barley in addition to wheat and corn include lower price and potential to produce a distiller grain product with higher protein content for livestock feed.
Significant progress already has been made in the development of winter hulless barley lines. To date, we have developed more than 1,100 hulless winter barley populations. In 2001-2002, we will evaluate over 400 hulless populations and 150 pure lines in yield tests and select pure lines among nearly 10,000 headrows. Ten of our advanced hulless barley lines are being evaluated in three states (Maryland, Kentucky and Delaware). This season (2001-02), two of our elite hulless lines have been planted in seed increase-blocks at the Virginia Foundation Seed Farm for evaluation as potential releases, and breeder seed is being developed for four advanced lines. Advanced hulless barley lines with good agronomic performance were sent to food nutritionists in Michigan and Pennsylvania for end-use analyses. We will continue to make crosses between low phytic acid, spring barley mutant lines and some of our superior hulled and hulless barley lines. We hope to develop adapted winter barley cultivars with low phytic acid content and, thereby, improve the nutritional value of barley fed to poultry and swine as well as provide a means for reducing waste-derived phosphorus pollution. We will also continue to focus on development of hulless barley varieties for specific end-use markets benefiting producers in the mid-Atlantic region.