AB Foothills

Barley

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'AAC Synergy'

Summary: At booting, 'AB Foothills' has a low frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves while 'AAC Synergy' has an absent or very low frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves. At the end of anthesis, the spike of 'AB Foothills' has a weak degree of glaucosity while the spike of 'AAC Synergy' has a medium degree of glaucosity. The spike of 'AB Foothills' has a semi-erect attitude while that of 'AAC Synergy' has an erect attitude. At the early to soft dough stage, the nerves of lemma on the kernel of ‘AB Foothills' have a weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration while those of ‘AAC Synergy' have a medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration. The kernel of 'AB Foothills' has horseshoe shaped basal markings while the kernel of 'AAC Synergy' has incomplete horseshoe shaped basal markings.

Description:

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

PLANT: two row, spring malting barley, low frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves

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

SPIKE: early emergence, weak glaucosity at end of anthesis, semi-erect attitude, platform shaped collar, tapering shape, medium density, divergent sterile spikelet attitude, glume and awn of the median spikelet are longer than the grain
LEMMA AWNS: medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration of tips at beginning of anthesis, equal to spike length, rough spiculations on margins
FIRST SEGMENT OF RACHIS: medium length, weak curvature

KERNEL: weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration of nerves of the lemma at early to soft dough stage, long rachilla hairs, husk present, weak spiculation of inner lateral nerves of dorsal side of lemma, hairless ventral furrow, clasping disposition of lodicules, horseshoe shaped basal markings, medium length and width

AGRONOMIC CHARACTERISTIC: good resistance to lodging

Origin & Breeding History: 'AB Foothills' (experimental designations TR20661 and J13033102) was developed using a single seed descent method of breeding. The variety originated from a cross between the varieties 'Merit57' and ‘Major' conducted at the Alberta Agriculture Field Crop Development Centre in Lacombe, Alberta in 2013. The variety was advanced from the F1 to F5 generation based on agronomic characteristics and visual disease ratings with one line being designated as J13033102 in 2015. The line was evaluated for yield and disease resistance from 2016 to 2019 and entered in the Western Cooperative Two-Row Malting Barley Registration Coop Test as TR20661 from 2020 to 2022. Breeder seed was established at the F11 generation in 2022.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'AB Foothills' were conducted at the Olds College Field Crop and Development Centre in Lacombe, Alberta during the 2023 and 2024 growing seasons. There were 3 replicates per variety per year. Plots consisted of 8 rows, each row measuring 2.5 metres long with 0.14 metres inter-row spacing. The seeding density of 269 seeds per square metre resulted in approximately 2175 plants per variety per year. Measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 30 measurements per variety per year. Mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on a paired Student`s t-test.

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Barley: ‘AB Foothills' (left) with reference variety ‘AAC Synergy' (right)

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Barley: ‘AB Foothills' (right) with reference variety ‘AAC Synergy' (left)