Annual Progress Report on Malting Barley Research March, 2002

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MOLECULAR MARKER ASSISTED MODIFICATION OF TRADITIONAL HIGH
QUALITY MALTING BARLEYS
A. Kleinhofs, D. von Wettstein & S. E. Ullrich
Dept. Crop and Soil Sciences
Washington State University
Pullman, WA. 99164-6420
The major emphasis during the reporting period was on the Harrington x Baronesse cross.
Harrigton x Baronesse
Yield Analysis
In summer 2001, 8 BC2 lines and 20 BC3 lines were planted in the regional yield trials at
three locations: Pullman, Fairfield, WA and Royal Slope, WA. These lines yielded
similar to Baronesse in 2000 and were selected to represent the highest yielding lines
from all locations and years with the exception of K11-3, which was included as a low
yielding check. 26 lines grown in Pullman, 12 lines from Fairfield, and 26 lines from
Royal Slope yielded statistically similar to Baronesse. 14 of the 26 lines from Pullman, 8
of 12 lines from Fairfield, and 19 of the 26 lines from Royal Slope yielded higher than
Harrington, although differences were not significant (Table 1).
Malting Analysis
Malting analysis was performed at Madison, WI in 2001 on selected lines grown at
Pullman in summer 2000. Analysis was done using an experimental Joe White malting
system. 62 lines were malted, with two replications when possible. From this data, 13
lines produced malting characteristics similar to Harrington as well as yields similar to
Baronesse.
In fall 2001, 28 lines grown at Royal Slope in summer 2001 were malted again at
Madison, WI. Standard malting analysis was used on three replications for all lines.
Based on the combined yield and malting data, 6 lines have consistently yielded similar
to Baronesse with malting quality similar to Harrington (Table 2). A subset of these lines
exhibiting the best yield and malting data will be grown in the state uniform nurseries in
summer 2002.
Genetic Analysis
When comparing the combined yield data of the BC2 and BC3 populations to the
genotype data of the NILs, two regions on 2HL and one region on 3HL are suggested as
containing yield related QTL. The proximal region of 2HL is bracketed by Bmy2 -
MWG699 while the distal region is bracketed by ABG072 - ksuD22. On 3HL, the QTL
region is bracketed by MWG571A - MWG961. Each high yielding NIL contains at least
one of these regions (Fig. 1). One interesting note is that line 7 does not contain any
Baronesse alleles in these target regions, yet yielded significantly greater than Harrington
at Pullman in 1999 and 2000, and statistically similar to Baronesse, although not
significantly greater than Harrington, in all locations in 2001. This suggested that other
yield QTLs from Baronesse exist that have not been identified. Also, line K11-3 contains