Australia: Three new elite barley breeding lines from Barley Breeding Australia to be tested in the West of the country

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, Seed Quest reported April 30.

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.”

E-malt.com, the global information source for the brewing and malting industry professionals. The bi-weekly E-malt.com Newsletters feature latest industry news, statistics in graphs and tables, world barley and malt prices, and other relevant information. Click here to get full access to E-malt.com. If you are a Castle Malting client, you can get free access to E-malt.com website and publications. Contact us for more information at marketing@castlemalting.com .