Lacey

Barley

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'BT490', 'CDC Sisler' and 'Robust'

Summary: 'Lacey' has a slightly longer flag leaf than 'CDC Sisler', and slightly wider flag leaf than 'CDC Sisler', 'Robust', and 'BT490'. The time of spike emergence for 'Lacey', when the first spikelet is visible on 50 % of the spikes, is earlier than 'CDC Sisler'. 'Lacey' has stronger spike glaucosity than 'CDC Sisler', 'Robust' and 'BT490'. The spike of 'Lacey' is denser than 'CDC Sisler'. 'Lacey' has a shorter spike than 'CDC Sisler', 'Robust', and 'BT490'. The curvature of the first segment of the rachis is medium in 'Lacey' while weak in 'BT490'. 'Lacey' is shorter in plant height when the kernel is beginning to ripen than 'CDC Sisler' and 'Robust'.

Description:

'Lacey' is a six-row spring, malting barley variety which has an erect juvenile growth habit with green coleoptiles. At tillering, the plants have an erect growth habit, with absent or very sparse pubescence on the sheaths of the lower leaves. There is medium pubescence on the blade and weak on the sheath of the flag leaf. The sheath of the flag leaf has weak to medium glaucosity. There is weak pubescence on the auricle margins.

Spike emergence of 'Lacey' is mid season. The collar shape is v-shaped to cup shaped. At the beginning of anthesis, there is strong anthocyanin colouration at the tips of the lemma awns. At the end of pollen development, spike attitude is erect with a weak to medium glaucosity. When the kernels are fully developed, the spike is parallel in shape and dense. When the kernel is beginning to ripen the first segment of the rachis is long in length with a medium curvature. The length of the glume and its awn of the median spikelet is relatively longer than the grain. The lemma awns are longer than the spike. The margins of the lemma awns are smooth.

The kernels of 'Lacey' are husked with absent to very weak anthocyanin colouration of the nerves of the lemma of the kernel. The aleurone layer is whitish and the rachilla hairs are short. Spiculation of the inner lateral nerves of the dorsal side of the lemma is weak with no hairiness of the ventral furrow. Disposition of the lodicules is clasping. The kernel is medium in length and width with incomplete horseshoe shaped basal markings.

'Lacey' is resistant to Stem rust (Puccina graminis). It is moderately resistant to Common root rot (Cochliobolus sativus, Fusarium spp.), Covered smut (Ustilago hordei), and False loose smut, Black semi-loose smut (Ustilago nigra). It is moderately resistant to moderately susceptible to Spot blotch (Cochliobolus sativus), and True loose smut (Ustilago nuda). It is susceptible to Scald (Rhynchosporium secalis), Net blotch (Pyrenophora teres), Septoria speckled leaf blotch (Septoria passerinii), and Fusarium head blight (Fusarium graminearum, Gibberella zeae).

'Lacey' has fair lodging, with fair to good shattering resistance, tolerance to straw and neck breaking. It has fair tolerance to drought, and good malting quality.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Lacey', which was known by the experimental designation M98, has the pedigree M44/Excel/2/M46/M44/3/M44/Excel/2/Stander, where M44=Nordic/Manker/3/Morex/2/Manker/63AB2987-32, and M46=Nordic/Manker/2/Robust, and was developed by the pedigree breeding system coupled with the single-seed method at Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station, Minneapolis, Minnesota. The breeding line 63AB2987-32 was developed at the United States Department of Agriculture barley breeding program at Aberdeen, Idaho. The final cross leading to 'Lacey' was made in 1993.

'Lacey' originated from a single plant taken arbitrarily from an F5 line visually selected for desirable height, straw strength, and resistance to leaf diseases. No selection was applied in the F2 through the F4 generations with the F3 and F4 generations being advanced in the greenhouse. Replicated agronomic and disease testing began in Minnesota in 1996 and regional testing in 1998. Micro-malting evaluations began in 1996, industry pilot quality evaluation in 1997, and industry plant scale quality evaluation in 1999. Low soluble protein was identified in the first micro-malting evaluation in 1996, and this trait and grain yield were the primary basis for interest.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Lacey' were conducted at the Crop Development Center, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 2002/2003. Plots consisted of 2 rows, 3.7 metres long with about 0.4 metres between rows. There were three treatments per line with two replicates arranged in an RCB design.

Comparison tables for 'Lacey' with reference varieties 'BT490', 'CDC Sisler' and 'Robust'

Flag leaf length (cm)

Flag leaf width (mm)

Time of spike emergence (when first spikelet visible on 50% of spikes) (number of days from planting)

Spike length (cm)

Height (including awns)(cm)