VARIATION IN STARCH, PROTEIN, AND FIBER OF CANADIAN BARLEY CULTIVARS

Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is a major feed in the Maritime region of Canada, but information on the chemical composition of barley cultivar s grown in the Maritimes is lacking. Therefore, a study was undertaken to determine if starch, protein, neutral-detergent fibre (NDF), and a cid-detergent fibre (ADF) of barley vary from region to region in Cana da and to determine if barley cultivars that originated from Eastern C anada exhibit different chemical composition than those that originate d from Western Canada The chemical composition of two-row and six-row, covered and hulless, and feed and malting cultivars were also compare d. Seventy-five cultivars were tested in eight environments (i.e. Char lottetown, Ottawa, Brandon, and Bentley in 1991 and 1992). These culti vars were classified into eight classes in four comparisons: eastern v s. western, two-row vs. six-row, hulless vs. covered, and feed vs. mal ting. Charlottetown grains were relatively low in protein, high in sta rch, and intermediate in NDF and ADF in comparison with grains produce d at the other three locations. This suggests that more research in cu ltivar development and crop management is needed to increase the prote in concentration of barley in the Maritimes. On average, two-row culti vars contained more starch and less fibre than six-row cultivars. East ern two-row cultivars contained more protein than western two-row cult ivars. As expected, hulless barleys contained more starch and protein, but less fibre than covered barleys. Canadian barley cultivars exhibi ted considerable variation in chemical composition. The cultivar x env ironment interaction was much smaller than the cultivar effect. Theref ore, it is important to identify barley cultivars with high nutritiona l quality for use in commercial production.