Annual Progress Report on Malting Barley Research March, 2007

selections made in the 2006 head row nurseries were crosses that combined the
semidwarf and low DON accumulation characters. Lines from these selections will be
entered in the 2007 Preliminary Yield Trials.
For the first time, a line (ND20448) from our breeding project with improved FHB
resistance and acceptable malt quality may be a candidate for Plant Scale Evaluation in
2008. Seed increases of this line will be done this summer in North Dakota and next
winter in Arizona to produce sufficient seed for Plant Scale Testing in 2008.
Other Barley Research and Future Direction of Program
Western North Dakota Malting Barley Program
The Western Malting Barley Project was initiated by the North Dakota Legislature in
2001 because of the increased interest of western North Dakota growers in producing
malting barley and the industry sourcing grain from this area. Because of the dryer
growing conditions of western North Dakota, FHB may be less problematic; however,
these same dry conditions also can result in barley with unacceptably high grain protein
and low kernel plumpness. One of the goals of the Western Malting Barley Project is to
develop malting barley varieties specifically adapted to dryland production in western
North Dakota. To overcome the problems of high protein, we have been crossing into
our lines genes for low-protein using conventional breeding methods. These genes for
low-protein can reduce grain protein by as much as 2.5 percentage units.
Another goal has been to develop varieties specifically adapted for production under
irrigation. To maximize production of irrigated malting barley, we are breeding lines that
incorporate the low-protein character and reduced plant height. We believe that these
two characters together in a variety will allow a grower to increase yield by increasing
the amount of nitrogen fertilizer they can add, while still keeping grain protein ≤ 13.0%
and the crop standing. Research is described below on a soil fertility study related to
this effort.
Special Projects
1. Rongshuang Lin, a Ph.D. candidate from China, is conducting several studies to
gain a better understanding of pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) in barley. In 2006,
Rongshuang determined that QTL for PHS-resistance map to the distal end of the
long arm of chromosome 5H using three mapping populations (Chevron/Stander,
Harrington/Morex, and Robust/Stander). Preliminary results indicate that the QTL
identified in Harrington/Morex may be different from those identified in the other
populations and that QTL for PHS in chromosome 5H are linked to a QTL controlling
malt alpha-amylase activity.
2. Martin Hochhalter, a research specialist on the project, is working toward an M.S
degree. His research is an agronomic study on the fertilization requirements of lowprotein
barley produced on dryland or irrigated conditions. He is evaluating 24
barley genotypes, including Robust, Drummond, Lacy, Legacy, Tradition, and
Conlon; six conventional height genotypes with the low-protein character; six semi-
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