Fargo, North Dakota, USA
August 11, 2009
The
North Dakota State
University (NDSU) barley-breeding program may be working
with more European companies in the future.
Representatives of two German companies visited the NDSU
Institute of Barley and Malt Sciences (IBMS) and NDSU Research
Extension Center test plots.
Representing Dr. J. Ackerman and Co. was Johann-Friedrich
Strube, managing director of the family-owned barley-breeding
company in Irlbach. Representing
SAATEN-UNION GmbH was
Matthias Kessler of Isernhagen. SAATEN-UNION GmbH is an alliance
of seven German family breeding companies. Kessler manages the
malting barley segments of SAATEN-UNION.
Richard Horsley, head of the NDSU barley breeding program, and
Karen Hertsgaard, IBMS communications director, conducted tours
of the IBMS and test plots. The group also attended NDSU
Research Extension Center field days in Carrington, Minot and
Langdon. Some of the European varieties in trials at the centers
originated at Dr. J. Ackermann and Co., but are marketed by
SAATEN-UNION GmbH.
"Kessler expressed an interest in partnering with us to more
globally unite us in our malting barley breeding efforts and
production efforts," Hertsgaard says.
Testing of European varieties by NDSU began in 2006 after
discussions with the German trading and services company BaWa.
That year, lines from the German breeding company Saatzchut
Breun and two Danish companies were tested at two locations.
In 2007, testing was expanded to include barley lines
represented by SAATEN- UNION. Since then, Horsley has been
evaluating about 75 European lines each year, with approximately
45 from SAATEN-UNION.
When first evaluated, the European lines are grown at Langdon
and Fargo. In subsequent years, promising lines are grown at
Carrington, Fargo, Langdon, Minot, Williston and Sidney, Mont.
One European variety initially in the trials, Scarlett, is from
Germany. It probably is the most widely grown variety in the
world. Although Scarlett was added to the American Malting
Barley Association's list of recommended malting barley
varieties in 2008, little to none was contracted in North Dakota
this summer.
"The goal of our evaluation program of European lines is to
identify those that are better adapted to North Dakota than
Scarlett and acceptable to U.S. malting companies," Horsley
says.
Other news
from
SAATEN-UNION GmbH |
|