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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Aberdeen, Idaho » Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research » Research » Research Project #427163

Research Project: Malting Barley Cultivar and Germplasm Development

Location: Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research

Project Number: 2050-21000-034-003-T
Project Type: Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jul 1, 2014
End Date: Jun 30, 2019

Objective:
Development of barley varieties and germplasm. We aim to develop improved barley cultivars with desired agronomic and malting traits that will benefit growers and the malting industry. The long term goal is to develop and release new barley cultivars that have better yield potential plus superior malting quality.

Approach:
The proposed work involves using both traditional breeding approach and molecular approaches. The traditional breeding approach will be used in crossing, evaluation, and selection. All the material advancement will be conducted in field, greenhouse, and winter nurseries. The molecular work will focus on the double haploid technology. Utilizing existing testing locations and off-season winter nurseries for the F2 and F4 generations, populations will be advanced to the F5 generation in bulk and F5:6 lines derived for yield evaluation. Lines will be derived from plants as opposed to spikes, and will therefore enable us to begin yield evaluation directly following derivation. Evaluation of malt quality will begin with the advanced yield trials, following at least two years of prior yield evaluation.