Australia
April 30, 2007
Three elite barley breeding lines
from Barley Breeding Australia – West Node will be grown at up
to five sites in Western Australia this year before being
considered for release for domestic or export brewing.
The Department of Agriculture and Food, a partner in Barley
Breeding Australia, will coordinate the on-farm trials with
Co-operative Bulk Handling.
New lines WABAR2312 and WABAR2315, discussed at
the recent meeting of the Western Region Barley Council (WRBC),
have a similar malting quality to Baudin with improved grain
yield, grain plumpness and resistance to barley leaf rust.
WRBC Chairman Steve Tilbrook said quality data on the two lines,
based on a cross to the European malting barley Alexis and a
local crossbred, looked suitable for the export brewing markets
of China and Japan.
The other breeding line, WABAR2321, was being assessed
for its suitability to the Australian brewing market.
Australian brewers use sugar as an adjunct in the brewing
process, and the malt quality they require is very different to
the Chinese and Japanese brewers who use rice or maize in the
brewing process.
“After discussing the micro-malting results, the WRBC has agreed
to submit the three breeding lines to Barley Australia for
commercial accreditation trials,” Mr Tilbrook said.
“In the 2007 season, seed of the three lines will be grown by
growers at three to five sites around Western Australia. Samples
meeting malting specification will then be used for commercial
malting and pilot brewing trials next year.
“If successful, the lines will be re-sown again in the 2008
season.”
Mr Tilbrook said, subject to performance in commercial trials,
the lines could be accredited at the end of 2009, with seed
becoming available to growers for sowing in 2010.
“In addition, a line bred by Barley Breeding Australia – South
Node will also be grown in Western Australia,” he said.
“Like WABAR2321, WI3416-1572 is being evaluated by
Barley
Australia for its suitability to the Australian brewing market.
“WI3416-1572 had already completed one year of commercial
accreditation trials and is being brought into Western Australia
by ABB for commercial trialling by Joe White Maltings at
Forrestfield.
“The inclusion of WI3416-1572 in plant scale testing will assist
the WRBC with making decisions on what varieties might suit the
domestic brewing markets dominated by the Swan Brewery Co Ltd
and the Fosters Group.”
RELATED RELEASE:
Australia's national barley breeding program has been
established
RELEATED SITE:
The Barley Site: a guide to barley production in Western
Australia |
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