Tradition

Barley

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Legacy' and 'B1602'

Summary: 'Tradition' is a six-row, malting barley variety which has an upright flag leaf, whereas one-quarter to one-half of plants of 'Legacy' and 'B1602' have a recurved flag leaf. The flag leaf of 'Tradition' is longer and wider than that of the reference varieties. The auricles of the flag leaf have no pubescence in 'Tradition', whereas there is weak pubescence in 'Legacy'. The first segment of the rachis of 'Tradition' is medium in length, whereas it is long in 'Legacy'. The lemma awns of 'Tradition' are semi-smooth, compared with 'B1602' which has rough lemma awns. 'Tradition' has a shorter spike and shorter plants than either of the two reference varieties.

Description:

'Tradition' is a six-row, spring, malting barley variety which has an erect juvenile growth habit and seedlings with green coleoptiles. At tillering, the plants are erect, with no pubescence on the sheaths of the lower leaves. At booting, there is weak pubescence on the blade and medium pubescence and glaucosity on the sheath of the flag leaf. There is a low frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves. There is very weak anthocyanin colouration and no pubescence on the auricles of the flag leaf.

The spike of 'Tradition' emerges early and is horizontal in attitude and parallel in shape. The collar is saucer shaped. The lemma awns have moderately weak anthocyanin colouration at the tips. The spike is moderately lax and has strong glaucosity. The first segment of the rachis is medium in length and curvature. The glume and awn of the median spikelet are longer than the grain. The lemma awns are longer than the spike and are semi-smooth (barbs on one-half to two-thirds of the awn).

The kernel of 'Tradition' has a husk. The nerves of the lemma have no anthocyanin colouration. The aleurone layer is white and the rachilla hairs are long. There is hairiness of the ventral furrow. The lodicules are clasping. The kernel of 'Tradition' is medium in length and width and has horseshoe shaped basal markings.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Tradition' originated from the cross B1603/3/Robust//M74/ND2470/4/Hazen//3//Hazen sib//Glen/Karl, which was made in the greenhouse at Fort Collins, Colorado, in November of 1992. The F1 was grown out in the field during the summer of 1993 in Moorhead, Minnesota. Individual plants were selected based on the criteria of straw strength, maturity, scald resistance and net blotch resistance. One generation of single seed descent was carried out in the greenhouse in Fort Collins during the winter of 1993-94 with no selections. The selection 6B95-2482 originated in Crookston, Minnesota in the summer of 1994 from an F4 headrow. At the F4 stage experimental lines were selected based on several criteria, including head size, test weight, kernel plumpness, protein content and extract level prediction. The F5 generation was a seed increase during the winter of 1994-95 in Yuma, Arizona. As an F6, the line was first tested in replicated yield trials in 1995 at Moorhead and Crookston, Minnesota. In 1997, head selections were made at Fort Collins, Colorado from a uniform and stable population to initiate purification and multiplication. Headrows were grown in the field at Fort Collins in 1998. In 1999, headrows and progeny plots were grown. Breeder seed was produced at Fort Collins in 2000.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Tradition' were conducted at Irricana, Alberta during 2001 and 2002. The trials consisted of four replicates per variety, and each replicate consisted of three plots, for a total of 12 plots per variety. Each plot was 6 rows wide and 3.5 metres long. Measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 25 measurements.

Comparison tables for 'Tradition' with reference varieties 'Legacy' and 'B1602'

Flag leaf length (cm)

Flag leaf width (mm)

Plant height (including spike) (cm)

Spike length (excluding awns) (cm)