Barley Somaclone: RE80

One hundred and ninety-five lines were regenerated from immature-embryo derived callus from Léger barley at the Charlottetown Research Centre in 1989 by Mr. Jinchuan Li, a visiting scholar from the Biology Institute of Shanxi Province, China. One regenerated line, RE80, performed well in Ontario. It was tested in the Registration Test and the Advanced Test in Ontario in 1994-97. Results from a total of 19 station-years showed that RE80 outyielded the mean of the two check varieties (Chapais and AC Stephen) by 1.8%. Being a derivative of Léger, RE80 should produce more straw for animal bedding than both Chapais and AC Stephen. RE80 was more resistant to scald, net blotch, spot blotch, and stem rust than both Chapais and AC Stephen. RE80, however, had lower test weight, lower seed weight, and less resistance to lodging, and less resistance to leaf rust and BYDV. RE80 was supported for registration in Canada by the Ontario Cereal Crops Committee.

Hulless Barley: AB168-11

The hulless barley AB168-11 was supported for registration in Canada by the Atlantic Field Crops Committee. AB168-11 was derived from a Mimai 114/Rodeo//Redeo cross. It was evaluated in the Maritime Two-Row Barley Screening Test in 1995 and in the Maritime Two-Row Barley Registration/Recommendation Test in 1996-97. On the average of 9 station-years, AB168-11 outyielded the check variety Condor by 17.6%. AB168-11 had a 9.8% greater test weight and 26.5% greater seed weight than Condor. AB168-11 matured 3 days earlier and was better resistant to lodging, to powdery mildew, and to BYDV. AB168-11 had lower percentage of hull than Condor (16% vs. 32%). AB168-11, however, was less resistant to net blotch and scald.

Other Barley Lines: S4065-127, AB162-12, OBT313-2, and T186-13

In addition to RE80 and AB168-11, one six-row barley (S4065-127) and three two-row barleys (AB162-12, OBT313-2, T186-13) were also supported for registration in Canada by either the Ontario Cereal Crops Committee or the Atlantic Field Crops Committee. S4065-127 performed well across Eastern Canada, yielding higher than the mean of the check varieties by 3% in the Maritimes, 5% in Quebec, and 7% in Ontario. AB162-12 outyielded the check varieties by 15% in the Maritimes and by 8% in Ontario. Furthermore, AB162-12 was resistant to powdery mildew. OBT313-2 and T186-13 outyielded the mean the two check varieties (AC Sterling and Lester) by 9% and 8%, respectively in Ontario.

Publications

T. M. Choo, R. A. Martin, K. M. Ho, G. Atlin, R. Walton, R. Blatt, and V. Rodd. 1997. AC Alma barley. Can. J. Plan Sci. 77: 635-637.

P. Narasimhalu, D. Kong, and T. M. Choo. 1998. Straw yields and nutrients of seventy-five Canadian barley cultivars. Can. J. Animal Sci. (in press).

M. J. Edney, T. M. Choo, D. Kong, T. Ferguson, K. M. Ho, K. W. May, and R. A. Martin. 1998. Kernel colour varies with cultivars and environments in barley. Can. J. Plant Sci. (in press).