Barley

Barley

David Sparks Ph.D.
David Sparks Ph.D.
A versatile barley variety released by Oregon State University could lend subtle malt flavors to Northwest craft brews and also give consumers more choice in fiber-rich barley foods. Another variety looks like a good choice for high-quality forage production in areas where water is increasingly scarce, said Dr. Patrick Hayes, head of OSU's barley breeding program.

The first new variety, Buck, is a high-yielding winter barley that performs well in a variety of Pacific Northwest conditions, said Hayes, a professor in OSU's College of Agricultural Sciences. Buck (so named because the kernel is "naked," lacking an adhering seed hull) stems from a 2003 cross between a hulled feed barley developed at OSU and a naked barley from Virginia. It is a six row naked winter barley that you need to plant in the fall or midwinter so that it gets enough cold units to flower. It has three rows of kernels on each side of the spike. The goal of developing this variety was to produce something for human nutrition because based on the FDA health claim, consumption of barley can assist in meeting some of the discontents of civilization including the risk of heart disease and diabetes. It is very tasty.

Previous ReportWeed biocontrol
Next ReportAg Census