Personnel

Seven scientists at the Eastern Cereal and Oilseed Research Centre (ECORC) are currently working on various areas of barley research: Thin-Meiw Choo (barley genetics and breeding), Keh-Ming Ho ( barley breeding), Steve Molnar (cell genetics), George Fedak (cereal cytogenetics), Judith Frégeau-Reid (cereal chemistry), Lianne Dwyer (crop physiology), and Lloyd Seaman (cereal pathology). In addition, Richard Martin (barley pathology) at the Charlottetown Research Centre is also a member of the Eastern Canada Barley Breeding Group.

Variety Development

AC Alma barley was registered in Canada on April 25, 1996 (registration no. 4330). One two-row barley AB159-2 was supported for registration by the Atlantic Advisory Committee on Cereal and Protein Crops. AB159-2 yielded 18% better than Lester, 13% better than Morrison, and 9% better than AC Sterling in the Maritime Region of Canada in 1994-96. In addition, AB159-2 had good test weight, good seed weight, and good lodging resistance. Three two-row barleys (AB159-10, DB192, and T186-1) were supported for registration by the Ontario Cereal Crops Committee. AB159-10 is resistant to net blotch (WRS102) and moderately resistant to barley yellow dwarf virus, but it is susceptible to powdery mildew. T186-1 is resistant to powdery mildew.

Straw Characteristics of Canadian Barleys

The straw characteristics of 75 Canadian varieties were investigated at Charlottetown. Over the two-year period, Condor (a two-row hulless variety) produced the highest straw yield (5.18 t/ha) while AC Stacey ( a six-row covered variety) produced the lowest straw yield (3.21 t/ha). The 32 two-row varieties, on average, yielded more straw ( 4.55 vs. 4.12 t/ha) and less grain (5.00 vs. 5.32 t/ha) than the 43 six-row varieties. However, the total above-ground dry matter of the two-row varieties (9.55 t/ha) was about the same as that of six-row varieties (9.44 t/ha). Straw from the two-row barleys was less susceptible to lodging and contained more cell contents but less hemicellulose, total-N, Ca, Na, Mn, and Zn. Straw yields were not different between eastern and western varieties. Eastern two-row varieties, however, showed higher grain yield, higher total yield, and less lodging than western two-row, and their straw contained less lignin and P than western barley straw. Hulless barleys produced less grain yield and their straw contained less cellulose than covered barleys. (Cooperative with Dr. Pushpal Narasimhalu and David Kong)

Kernel Discoloration of Canadian Barleys

The kernel colors of 75 Canadian varieties from three locations (Charlottetown, Ottawa, and Bentley) were measured with an Instumar Colormet Spectrocolorimeter. Kernel color was found to be brighter at the two locations in Eastern Canada (Charlottetown and Ottawa) than at the location in Western Canada (Bentley). Two-row varieties on average were more discolored than six-row varieties. Eastern two-row were more discolored than western two-row. Hulless barleys were more discolored than covered barleys in most of the tests. Kernel discoloration appeared to be associated with susceptibility to net blotch for six-row varieties. (Cooperative with Dr. Michael Edney, Dr. Ken May, David Kong, and Tim Ferguson)

Publications

J. Frégeau-Reid, T. M. Choo, P. Jui, and K. M. Ho. 1996. Inheritance of kernel size and
shape of barley. SABRAO J. 28: 47-55.

K. M. Ho, A. Tekauz, T. M. Choo, and R. A. Martin. 1996. Genetic studies on net blotch
resistance in a barley cross. Can. J. Plant Sci. 76: 715-719.

P. Y. Jui, T. M. Choo, K. M. Ho, T. Konishi, and R. A. Martin. 1997. Genetic analysis of a
two-row x six-row cross of barley using doubled-haploid lines. Theor. Appl. Genet. (in press).