Trochu

Barley

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'AC Lacombe' and 'AC Harper'

Summary: 'Trochu' is a six-row, spring, feed barley variety which has a shorter flag leaf than 'AC Lacombe'. Anthocyanin colouration of the auricles of the flag leaf is absent in 'Trochu' and weakly present in 'AC Harper'. The intensity of anthocyanin at the tips of the lemma awns is medium in 'Trochu' and weak in 'AC Lacombe' and 'AC Harper'. The spike of 'Trochu' is semi-erect in attitude and medium in density, whereas 'AC Lacombe' has a semi-nodding spike, which is slightly lax in density. The rachilla hairs are long for 'Trochu' and short for 'AC Lacombe'. Plants of 'Trochu' tend to be shorter than those of 'AC Lacombe'.

Description:

'Trochu' is a six-row, spring feed barley which has a semi-erect juvenile growth habit and green coleoptiles. There is no pubescence on the sheaths of the lower leaves and at tillering the plants are semi-erect. At booting there is a very low frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves. The flag leaf of 'Trochu' has weak pubescence on the blade and sheath and medium glaucosity on the sheath. There is no anthocyanin colouration of the auricles. Pubescence on the auricle margins is weak.

Spike emergence is mid-season for 'Trochu' and the collar is slightly v-shaped. Lemma awns have a medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration at the tips. The spike is semi-erect in attitude, tapering in shape and medium in density. Glaucosity on the spike is weak. The first segment of the rachis is medium in length with little or no curvature. The glume and awn of the median spikelet are longer than the grain. The lemma awns are smooth (few barbs at tip) and longer than the spike.

The kernel of 'Trochu' has a hull, a colorless aleurone layer and strong anthocyanin colouration on the nerves of the lemma. The rachilla hairs are short. Spiculation of the inner lateral nerves of the dorsal side of the lemma is weak. There is no hairiness of the ventral furrow and the lodicules are clasping. Basal markings are incomplete horseshoe shaped. The kernel of 'Trochu' is medium in length and width.

'Trochu' has good resistance to straw breaking, neck breaking and fair resistance to lodging, shattering and drought.

'Trochu' is resistant to covered smut (Ustilago hordei) and black semi-loose smut (Ustilago nigra) and moderately resistant to common root rot (Fusarium spp.) and stem rust (Puccinia graminis). The variety is moderately susceptible to net blotch (Pyrenophora teres) and scald (Rhynchosporium secalis). 'Trochu' is susceptible to spot blotch (Cochliobolus sativus) and true loose smut (Ustilago nuda) and very susceptible to Septoria speckled leaf blotch (Septoria passerinii).

Origin & Breeding History: The pedigree of 'Trochu' is Noble//DL69/DL70///Mari-CohoXNackta//TR219. The original cross was made in 1987. The F2 seed of this variety was bulked and grown in nurseries in Lacombe, Alberta and in California up to the F6 level. At this time heads were selected from this population and grown out as individual F7 headrows in 1993 from which a line named H87046003 was selected as a variety to be entered into yield trial testing from 1994-1999. Purification of this line also took place during this time, being completed with 192 Breeder lines being bulked at the F13 level to form the Breeder seed of the variety. In 1998 the line was entered into the Western 6 Row Cooperative Barley Test as BT558.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Trochu' were conducted at the Field Crop Development Centre in Lacombe, Alberta during 2000 and 2001. The trials consisted of 3 replicates per variety. The plots were seeded at a rate of 22 seeds per 30 cm square, in eight rows, 4.5 metres long with a 14 cm row spacing. Each harvested plot was 2.5 metres long. There were 41 cm between plots. Measured characteristics were based on 20 measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Trochu' with reference varieties 'AC Lacombe' and 'AC Harper'

Flag leaf length (cm)

Flag leaf width (cm)

Plant height (stem plus spike, including awns) (cm)

Spike length (excluding awns) (cm)

Kernel weight (grams/1000 kernels)