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ARS Home » Crop Production and Protection » Research » Research Project #449904

Research Project: Developing Malting Barley with Reduced FHB and DON in North Dakota

Location: Crop Production and Protection

Project Number: 0500-00053-005-207-G
Project Type: Grant

Start Date: May 1, 2026
End Date: Apr 30, 2030

Objective:
The overall goal of this research is to develop two-row malting barley cultivars with enhanced FHB resistance and lower DON levels, while maintaining strong agronomic performance and malt quality, to support producers in North Dakota and nearby areas, as well as maltsters and brewers nationwide.

Approach:
The program makes 75–100 crosses annually, advances populations through nurseries, and selects under FHB pressure. Genomic predictions guide early-generation selection for DON, agronomics, and quality. About 600 new lines are entered into yield trials annually, with advanced testing across locations, USDA-ARS malt evaluation, multi-state nurseries, and AMBA commercial evaluation.