Malting Quality By Environment for Six Winter Malting Barley Varieties.

The malting barley industry is growing in North Carolina and across the Southeast. Barley grown for malt has specific quality requirements to be acceptable by maltsters. Protein levels, germination, and seed size are some of the important characteristics which have specific metrics for malting quality. In North Carolina we grew six winter malting varieties in four locations with six replications each: Stem, Selma, Salisbury, and Mills River, NC to evaluate genetics by environment interactions and their impact on barley malting quality. Plots were harvested at each location with a Wintersteiger Delta plot combine and samples from each variety were and Average statewide yield was 112.2 bu/A. Protein levels were in the moderate range and were generally acceptable by malting enterprises. Two-row varieties outperformed six-row varieties in plumpness. Six row-varieties were thinner and often did not meet the plumpness requirement for malting enterprises. DON levels were acceptable in 55% of tested samples at > 0.5 ppm. However 36% of tested samples were outside of the acceptable range > 1 ppm. These results highlight the need for additional malting barley testing in NC and the Southeast to assist growers in selecting appropriate varieties and management practices for malting quality barley. Identifying the most appropriate environments for producing malting barley in our region is also important.