Annual Progress Report on Malting Barley Research March, 2002

89
MALTING AND BREWING QUALITY OF BARLEY
Paul Schwarz
Department of Cereal Science
North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND 58105
OBJECTIVES AND JUSTIFICATION
A primary objective of the barley quality program at North Dakota State University is to
provide individuals in the barley improvement program with barley and malt quality data
that is required for the development and release of acceptable malting varieties.
Prediction tests are performed on early generation lines to aid in selection for improved
malting quality. Micro-malting and malt quality analyses are performed on materials
from barley genetics studies and other special cooperative projects. Basic research
efforts are directed toward the biochemical components of barley and malt, in order to aid
in the understanding and definition of malt quality. A survey of the regional barley crop
is conducted on an annual basis. This information is provided to the sponsors in the form
of weekly and annual reports.
BARLEY VARIETY DEVELOPMENT
1. Early Generation Quality Testing Program. Approximately 3,125 early generation
two- and six-rowed lines and cultivars, grown in 2001, were submitted for preliminary
screening by near infrared reflectance (NIR) for protein. The potential diastatic power of
1,135 of the breeder’s lines were analyzed. An additional 1,300-1,750 six-rowed samples
were screened for kernel assortment, test weight and/or color. Lines and varieties (120)
from the 2001 NDSU variety plot trials were micro-malted and are awaiting analysis for
standard quality parameters.
2. Deoxynivalenol Testing Program. The overall goal of the DON testing program in
Cereal Science is to expedite the development of scab resistant malting barley cultivars
for the upper Midwest. DON analysis services are provided to barley breeders and
pathologists at NDSU, University of Minnesota, and Busch Agricultural Resources, Inc.
The service is provided to all cooperators at a minimal charge, which includes only the
cost of expendable supplies, chemicals, and sample grinding labor.
Approximately 7,500 barley samples from the 2001 crop were analyzed for DON by gas
chromatography with electron capture detection (GC-ECD) (Table I). Samples included
breeder’s lines, crop survey samples, and samples from research studies. This is 2,500
more samples than analyzed in 2000, and does not include the analysis of 1,350
standards. The 2001 crop samples were analyzed beginning September 1, 2001 and are
to complete in March, 2002.
A barley DON check sample service is operated as a service to 13 academic and industry
labs. Two samples are shipped to each participant on a monthly basis. Results of this
check service have indicated that precision of DON analysis in our laboratory improved
during 2001. While our results average slightly below the grand mean, the standard
deviation was the lowest of any of the 13 participating laboratories.