AAC Beckett

Barley

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'CDC Fibar', 'CDC McGwire', 'CDC Rattan' and 'Merlin'

Summary: At booting, the frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves is very high for 'AAC Beckett' whereas the frequency is high for 'CDC Fibar' and 'CDC Rattan' and medium for 'CDC McGwire'. The pubescence on the flag leaf blade of 'AAC Beckett' is medium to dense whereas it is absent or very sparse for 'CDC Fibar' and 'CDC Rattan' and absent or very sparse to sparse for 'CDC McGwire' and 'Merlin'. The flag leaf of 'AAC Beckett' is longer than that of 'CDC McGwire', 'CDC Rattan' and 'Merlin'. At the beginning of anthesis, the anthocyanin colouration on the flag leaf auricles of 'AAC Beckett' is absent whereas it is of a weak to medium intensity for 'CDC McGwire' and of a medium to strong intensity for 'CDC Fibar' and 'CDC Rattan'. The anthocyanin colouration on the tips of the lemma awns is absent for 'AAC Beckett' whereas it is of a weak to medium intensity for 'CDC Fibar' and 'CDC McGwire'. At the beginning of ripening, the plants, including the awns, of 'AAC Beckett' are taller than the plants of 'CDC Rattan' and 'Merlin'. The spike of 'AAC Beckett' is of a medium density whereas that of 'CDC Fibar' is dense. Excluding the awns, the spike of AAC Beckett' is longer than those of 'CDC Fibar' and 'Merlin' and shorter than that of 'CDC McGwire'.

Description:

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

FLAG LEAF (AT BOOTING): medium to dense pubescence on blade
FLAG LEAF SHEATH: strong glaucosity, absent or very sparse pubescence
AURICLES: anthocyanin colouration absent at beginning of anthesis, sparse to medium pubescence on margins

SPIKE: mid-season emergence, absent or very weak to weak degree of glaucosity at end of anthesis, erect attitude, platform shaped collar, parallel shape, medium density, parallel to weakly divergent sterile spikelet attitude, glume and awn of the median spikelet are equal to longer than the grain
LEMMA AWNS: anthocyanin colouration of tips absent, longer than spike, rough spiculations on margins
FIRST SEGMENT OF RACHIS: short, medium to strong curvature

KERNEL: absent or very weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration of nerves of lemma at beginning of ripening, whitish aleurone layer, long rachilla hairs, husk absent, absent or very weak spiculation of inner lateral nerves of dorsal side of lemma, hairless ventral furrow, clasping disposition of lodicules, incomplete horseshoe shape of basal markings, medium length, medium width

DISEASE REACTIONS : resistant to Covered Smut (Ustilago hordei) and False Loose Smut (Ustilago nigra); moderately resistant to Scald (Rhynchosporium secalis) and True Loose Smut (Ustilago nuda); moderately resistant to moderately susceptible to Spot Blotch (Cochliobolus sativus); moderately susceptible to Stem Rust (Puccinia graminis) and Net Blotch (net and spot forms of Pyrenophora teres)

Origin & Breeding History: 'AAC Beckett' (experimental designations H339-137 and HB20144) originated from a cross between 'Merlin' and the line H303 conducted in the spring of 2014 in a greenhouse at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Brandon Research Centre in Brandon, Manitoba. The early generations were advanced using a modified bulk method. From 2014 to 2015, increases were performed in Brandon, and in Leeston, New Zealand followed by the selection of 400 spikes from short rows grown in Yuma, Arizona, USA in 2015-2016. Three hundred individually threshed spikes were selected based on plant height, maturity, lodging resistance, general appearance and field disease reaction and planted as single F5 hill plots in Brandon, Manitoba. One F6 line, designated as H339-137, was grown in a preliminary yield test at Brandon in 2017 and in replicated yield tests at Brandon and Hamiota, Manitoba in 2018. Advanced selection criteria included yield, heading date, hull retention, kernel plumpness, test and kernel weights, preliminary food quality analyses as well as seedling and field disease testing. H339-137 was further evaluated at 7 locations in Western Canada in 2019 and advanced to the Western Cooperative Hulless Barley Registration test from 2020 to 2021 as HB20144. Breeder seed was established from a bulk of 166 F10 lines selected from 297 rows grown at Brandon, Manitoba in 2021.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'AAC Beckett' were conducted at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Brandon Research and Development Centre in Brandon, Manitoba in 2022 and 2023. There were 4 replicates per variety arranged in an RCB design. Plots were 3.8 square metres and consisted of 6 rows with a row length of 4 metres with 0.18 metres between rows. Plots were spaced 46 cm apart. The seeding density was 1200 seeds per plot resulting in approximately 4800 plants per variety. 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 LSD values. Disease reaction ratings were provided through the Disease Evaluation team of the Prairie Recommending Committee for Oat and Barley conducted in 2020 and 2021.

Comparison tables for 'AAC Beckett' with reference varieties 'CDC Fibar', 'CDC McGwire', 'CDC Rattan' and 'Merlin'

Flag leaf length (cm)

Plant height at maturity (stem and spike, including awns) (cm)

Spike length (excluding awns) (cm)

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Barley: 'AAC Beckett' (centre) with reference varieties 'CDC Fibar' (left), 'CDC Rattan' (centre left), 'CDC McGwire' (centre right) and 'Merlin' (right)

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Barley: 'AAC Beckett' (centre) with reference varieties 'CDC McGwire' (left), 'CDC Fibar' (centre left), 'CDC Rattan' (centre right) and 'Merlin' (right)

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Barley: 'AAC Beckett' (centre) with reference varieties 'CDC Fibar' (left), 'CDC Rattan' (centre left), 'Merlin' (centre right) and 'CDC McGwire' (right)