AAC Cranbrook

Barley

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'AAC Vitality'

Summary: At booting, anthocyanin colouration is absent on the flag leaf auricles of ‘AAC Cranbrook' while it is of a medium intensity on flag leaf auricles of ‘AAC Vitality'. At the beginning of anthesis, the lemma awn tips of ‘AAC Cranbrook' have a medium to strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration while those of ‘AAC Vitality' have an absent or very weak to weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration. At the end of anthesis, the spike of ‘AAC Cranbrook' has a weak to medium degree of glaucosity while the spike of ‘AAC Vitality' has an absent or very weak to weak degree of glaucosity. At ripening, the plants, including the awns, of ‘AAC Cranbrook' are shorter than those of ‘AAC Vitality'. The spike of ‘AAC Cranbrook' has a cup shaped collar while the spike of ‘AAC Vitality' has a v-shaped collar. The lemma awns of ‘AAC Cranbrook' have smooth margins while those of ‘AAC Vitality' have rough spiculations on the margins. The first segment of the rachis of ‘AAC Cranbrook' is short and with a weak degree of curvature while that of ‘AAC Vitality' is medium in length with a medium degree of curvature. The rachilla hairs on the kernel of ‘AAC Cranbrook' are short while those on the kernel of ‘AAC Vitality' are long. The lodicules on the kernel of ‘AAC Cranbrook' have a frontal disposition while those of ‘AAC Vitality' have a clasping disposition.

Description:

YOUNG PLANT: erect growth habit at tillering, absent or very sparse pubescence on lower leaf sheaths

PLANT: six row, spring feed barley, low to medium frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves

FLAG LEAF (AT BOOTING): sparse pubescence on blade
FLAG LEAF SHEATH: medium to strong glaucosity, sparse pubescence
AURICLES: anthocyanin colouration absent at booting, sparse pubescence on margins

SPIKE: mid-season emergence, weak to medium degree of glaucosity at end of anthesis, erect attitude, cup shaped collar, parallel shape, medium to dense, glume and awn of the median spikelet are longer than the grain
LEMMA AWNS: medium to strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration of tips at beginning of anthesis, shorter than to equal the length of the spike, smooth margins
FIRST SEGMENT OF RACHIS: short, weak curvature

KERNEL: absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration of nerves of the lemma at early to soft dough stage, whitish aleurone layer, short rachilla hairs, husk present, absent or very weak spiculation of inner lateral nerves of dorsal side of lemma, hairless ventral furrow, frontal disposition of lodicules, transverse crease shape of basal markings, medium length, medium width

AGRONOMIC CHARACTERISTIC: fair resistance to lodging

Origin & Breeding History: ‘AAC Cranbrook' (experimental designation OB2930-35) originated from a three-way cross between the varieties ‘Synalosis', ‘OAC Chelsey' and ‘Cyane' conducted in 2010 at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Ottawa Research and Development Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. The variety was advanced from the F2 to F5 generation using the bulk breeding method. Single F4 derived F5 heads were selected, including the line OB2930-35, and grown in a Fusarium Head Blight nursery in Ottawa in 2015. Twenty five lines were selected for seed increased in 2016 and in 2017, two lines were subsequently selected for preliminary yield trials. In 2018, the line OB2930-35 was entered into the six-row barley advanced tests and evaluated in mutiple locations across Canada. OB2930-35 was entered in the Ontario Barley Orthogonal Tests in 2019 and 2020. Selection criteria included yield performance, lodging resistance, disease resistance and seed quality characteristics. Breeder seed was established from the F11 generation in 2020.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for ‘AAC Cranbrook' were conducted during the 2021 and 2023 growing seasons at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Ottawa Research and Development Centre in Ottawa, Onario. There were 4 replicates per variety arranged in an RCB design. Plots consisted of 6 rows with a row length of 3.7 metres and 0.17 metre inter row spacing. The seeding density was 350 seeds per square metre resulting in approximately 5600 plants per variety per year. Measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 20 measurements per variety per year. Mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on a paired Student's t-test.

Comparison table for 'AAC Cranbrook' with reference variety 'AAC Vitality'

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

Click on image for larger view

Barley: ‘AAC Cranbrook' (left) with reference variety ‘AAC Vitality' (right)