McLeod

Barley

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Xena' and 'CDC Dolly'

Summary: 'McLeod' is a two-row, spring, feed barley variety that produces plants that are shorter than 'Xena' and taller than 'CDC Dolly'. 'McLeod' has a reduced sized sterile spikelet, similar to 'Xena', but differing from 'CDC Dolly' which has divergent sterile spikelets. The rachilla hairs of 'McLeod' are short, whereas 'Xena' has long rachilla hairs.

Description:

'McLeod' is a two-row, spring, feed barley variety which has an erect juvenile growth habit and green coleoptiles. At tillering there is no pubescence on the sheaths of the lower leaves and the plant growth habit is erect. At booting, few plants (approximately 25%) have recurved flag leaves. The flag leaf has weak to moderate pubescence on the blade and sheath and medium glaucosity on the sheath. There is medium anthocyanin colouration and no pubescence on the auricles of the flag leaf.

The spike of 'McLeod' emerges mid-season and the collar is platform shape. At the beginning of anthesis the lemma awns have medium anthocyanin colouration at the tips. At the end of pollen development the spike is strongly glaucous and semi-erect in attitude. 'McLeod' has a parallel spike which is of medium density. The sterile spikelet is reduced in size and parallel in attitude. The first segment of the rachis is medium in length and moderately curved. The glume and awn of the median spikelet are shorter than the grain. The lemma awns are longer than the spike and are rough (barbs from tip to next to kernel).

The kernel of 'McLeod' has a husk and the aleurone layer is white. The nerves of the lemma have no anthocyanin colouration. The rachilla hairs are short and there is no spiculation of the inner lateral nerves of the dorsal side of the lemma. The kernel has slight hairiness of the ventral furrow. The lodicules are clasping and the basal markings on the kernel are horseshoe shaped. The kernel of 'McLeod' is medium in length and width.

'McLeod' has fair lodging resistance and good resistance to shattering, straw breaking and neck breaking. The variety has a fair tolerance to drought.

Origin & Breeding History: 'McLeod' (experimental number BZ 596-189 and TR710) originated from the cross 'Baronesse' x and F2 plant from the cross ('Gallatin' x 'Baronesse'), made by WestBred, LLC, near Phoenix, AZ in March 1993 and advanced using the standard pedigree method. The F1 was grown near Bozeman, MT in 1993 and the F2 seed was planted near Phoenix in the fall of 1993. F2 heads were selected in April, 1994, threshed and planted as F3 head rows near Bozeman in May, 1994. Individual F3 heads were selected from agronomically acceptable rows in the fall of 1994 and planted as F4 head rows in the spring of 1995. In the fall of 1995, individual F4 heads were selected, and these were planted as single F5 head rows near Bozeman, MT in the spring of 1996. One of the F5 rows was selected in the fall of 1996 and given the designation BZ 596-189. The F6 through F10 were tested for yield and other agronomic trials in WestBred, LLC's, Agricore United's and Saskatchewan Wheat Pool's trials from 1997 through 2001. 'McLeod' was tested in the Canadian Two-Row Co-op as TR710 from 2000 to 2002.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'McLeod' were conducted at Neapolis, Alberta during 2003 and 2004. In both years the entries were grown in a 12 entry by 4 replication test. Each variety was randomized within each replicate 4 times for a total of 16 entries per variety per test. The plots were 5 metres in length and 1.25 metres wide. All measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 20 measurements.

Comparison tables for 'McLeod' with reference varieties 'Xena' and 'CDC Dolly'

Plant height (including spike and awns) (cm)

Spike length (excluding awns) (cm)