CDC Valdres

Barley

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'CDC McGwire' and 'CDC Rattan'

Summary: At booting, the frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves is high for 'CDC Valdres' while the frequency is low to medium for 'CDC McGwire' and low for 'CDC Rattan'. The flag leaf of 'CDC Valdres' is longer than the flag leaf of 'CDC McGwire' and larger than that of 'CDC Rattan'. At maturity, the plants, including the awns, of 'CDC Valdres' are shorter than the plants of 'CDC McGwire'. The spike, excluding the awns, of 'CDC Valdres' is shorter than those of the reference varieties. The first segment of the rachis for 'CDC Valdres' has a medium curvature while that of 'CDC McGwire' is strongly curved. The kernel of 'CDC Valdres' has short rachilla hairs while the kernels of 'CDC McGwire' and 'CDC Rattan' have long rachilla hairs. Spiculation of the inner lateral nerves of the dorsal side of the lemma on the kernel of 'CDC Valdres' is medium to strong while it is absent or very weak for 'CDC McGwire'. The kernel weight for 'CDC Valdres' is greater than that of 'CDC Rattan'.

Description:

YOUNG PLANT: semi-erect growth habit at tillering, absent or very sparse pubescence on lower leaf sheaths
PLANT: two row, spring food barley, high frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves, spike emergence occurs mid-season

AURICLES: weak to medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration

SPIKE: medium glaucosity, semi-erect attitude, platform shape collar, parallel shape, lax, sterile spikelet of parallel to weakly divergent attitude
LEMMA AWNS: strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration of tips, equal to longer than spike, rough spiculations on margins
FIRST SEGMENT OF RACHIS: medium length, medium curvature

KERNEL: whitish aleurone layer, short rachilla hairs, husk absent, absent or very weak to medium anthocyanin colouration of nerves of lemma, medium to strong spiculation of inner lateral nerves of dorsal side of lemma, hairless ventral furrow, clasping disposition of lodicules

AGRONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS: good resistance to lodging, good resistance to shattering, good tolerance to straw breakage, fair to good tolerance to drought

DISEASE REACTION: resistant to True loose smut (Ustilago nuda)

Origin & Breeding History: 'CDC Valdres' (experimental designations HB17340 and SH140017) originated from the cross conducted between the varieties 'CDC Marlina' and 'CDC Austenson' conducted in 2010 at the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The F1 and F2 generations were bulked in New Zealand in the winter of 2010-2011 and in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 2011, respectively. The F3 generation was bulked in New Zealand in the winter of 2011-2012 and the F4 generation space planted in Saskatoon in 2012. Selected F5 heads were grown as hill plots in Saskatoon in 2013 and the bulked F6 seed from one selected hill plot was designated as SH140017. SH140017 underwent yield trials from 2014 to 2016 and was tested in the Western Cooperative Hulless Barley Registration Trials as HB17340 in 2017 and 2018. Selection criteria included hull absence, plant height, grain plumpness and yield, maturity, lodging resistance, threshability and disease resistances.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'CDC Valdres' were conducted during the 2019 and 2021 growing seasons at the University of Saskatchewan Crop Science Field Laboratory in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The trial was arranged in a RCB design with 4 replicates. Each plot consisted of 4 or 5 rows with a row length of 3.66 metres and 0.2 metre inter row spacing. The seeding density was 215 seeds per squared metre resulting in approximately 4500 plants per variety. Measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 24 measurements per variety per year except for kernel weight which was based on a minimum of 10 measurements per variety per year. Mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on LSD values. The disease reaction rating was provided through the Disease Evaluation team of the Prairie Recommending Committee for Oat and Barley conducted in 2017 and 2018.

Comparison tables for 'CDC Valdres' with reference varieties 'CDC McGwire' and 'CDC Rattan'

Flag leaf length (cm)

Flag leaf width (mm)

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

Spike length (excluding the awns) (cm)

Kernel weight (grams per 1000 kernels)

Click on image for larger view

Barley: 'CDC Valdres' (centre) with reference varieties 'CDC McGwire' (left) and 'CDC Rattan' (right)

Click on image for larger view

Barley: 'CDC Valdres' (centre) with reference varieties 'CDC McGwire' (left) and 'CDC Rattan' (right)