OSU's Buck Has Promise as New Winter Barley Variety

OSU's Buck Has Promise as New Winter Barley Variety

Oregon State University’s Head of the Barley Breeding Program Dr. Pat Hayes gives more details about a new barley variety Buck — a versatile variety that could be used for human or animal feed as well as for craft beers.
Hayes: “It is a winter variety. It is a naked variety which is the unique thing about it. It is hull less. It was developed with the idea of using as a source in the human food market since barley is an excellent source of soluble dietary fiber. It turns out that also has a kind of interesting malting profile. So it might be of interest to some craft brewers who are interested in some different flavors in their craft brews.”
It won’t be available commercially for several years, but Buck performed well at drylands, irrigated and high-rainfall test sites. Dr. Hayes say grain growers could look at Buck like an early maturing wheat option.
Hayes: “This is a fall seeded barley — it is a winter barley — that is going to be about two weeks earlier on average than a wheat that is planted in the same environment. It is probably going to use 20 percent less nitrogen. If you look at the average yield that we have there — that would be like a 96 bushel per acre wheat — now there are higher yield wheat out there but when you think about that early maturity advantage — it might make it interesting in some areas.”

 

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