AAC Choo

Barley

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'AAC Sorel' and 'AAC Bell'

Summary: At booting, ‘AAC Choo' has a low frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves whereas ‘AAC Sorel' has a medium frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves and ‘AAC Bell' has a high to very high frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves. The flag leaf sheath of ‘AAC Choo' has weak glaucosity whereas that of ‘AAC Bell' has strong glaucosity. At ripening, the spike of ‘AAC Choo' has a cup shaped collar whereas those of the reference varieties have a v-shaped collar. The first segment of the rachis is short for ‘AAC Choo' whereas it is long for ‘AAC Sorel' and of a medium length for ‘AAC Bell'.

Description:

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

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

FLAG LEAF (AT BOOTING): weak pubescence on blade
FLAG LEAF SHEATH: weak glaucosity, sparse pubescence
AURICLES: medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration at beginning of anthesis, sparse pubescence on margins

SPIKE: spike emergence occurs mid-season, weak glaucosity at end of anthesis, semi-erect attitude, cup shaped collar, parallel shape, lax density, glume and awn of the median spikelet are longer relative to the grain
STERILE SPIKELET: full development, divergent attitude
LEMMA AWNS: medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration of tips, longer than spike length, rough spiculations on margins
FIRST SEGMENT OF RACHIS: short, absent or very weak curvature

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

Origin & Breeding History: 'AAC Choo' (experimental designation CH1209-1) originated from a cross conducted between the varieties 'BM0301-325' and ‘Leader' in the fall of 2011 at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Charlottetown Research and Development Centre in Harrington, Prince Edward Island. From 2012 to 2015, ‘CH1209-1' was advanced using bulk breeding method through the F1 to the F4 generation. The variety was advanced from the F4 generation in 2016 and 2017 based on yield, lodging resistance, disease resistance, and seed quality characteristics. Breeder seed of ‘AAC Choo' was established at the F11 generation in Ottawa, Ontario in August, 2022.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'AAC Choo' were conducted by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Ottawa Research and Development Centre in Ottawa, Ontario in 2023 and 2024. There were 4 replicates per variety arranged in an RCB design. Plots were 4.07 square metres and consisted of 6 rows with a row length of 3.7 metres and 0.17 metre spacing between rows. The seeding density was 350 seeds per square metre resulting in approximately 5600plants per variety per year. Measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 20 measurements per variety per year.

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Barley: 'AAC Choo' (left) with reference variety 'AAC Sorel' (right)