Carleton

Barley

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Altorado' and 'Brahma'

Summary: At tillering, the plants of ‘Carleton' have a semi-erect growth habit whereas the plants of ‘Brahma' have an intermediate growth habit. At booting, 'Carleton' has a low frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves whereas both reference varieties have an absent or very low frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves. At booting, the flag leaf sheath of ‘Carleton' has strong glaucosity whereas that of both reference varieties have a medium degree of glaucosity. The spike of ‘Carleton' is dense whereas the spike of both reference varieties is of medium density. The first segment of the rachis is short for 'Carleton' whereas it is of medium length for both reference varieties.

Description:

YOUNG PLANT: semi-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 BLADE (AT BOOTING): very weak pubescence
FLAG LEAF SHEATH: strong glaucosity, sparse pubescence
AURICLES: weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration at beginning of anthesis, sparse pubescence on margins

SPIKE: emergence occurs mid-season, medium to strong glaucosity at end of anthesis, semi-erect attitude, open shaped collar, parallel shape, dense, divergent sterile spikelet attitude, glume and awn of the median spikelet are equal relative to the grain
LEMMA AWNS: medium intensity of anthocyanin colouration of tips, longer than spike, rough spiculations on margins
FIRST SEGMENT OF RACHIS: short, weak curvature

KERNEL: absent or very weak to 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 shape of basal markings, medium length, narrow

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

Origin & Breeding History: ‘Carleton' (experimental designations HO517-245, TR20761) originated from a cross of an F4 plant selected from a male sterile facilitated recurrent selection back into a male sterile F2 plant from the same population by Highland Specialty Grains in Moses Lake, Washington in 2021. Several of these crosses were bulked together to form the base of the F2 population for crossing. Further selections from head and single rows (F4 and F5) were made followed by observation and replicated trails (F6 to F11). Selections at the various stages were made based on seed characteristics, yield, spike characteristics and disease resistance. Breeder seed was established in 2021 from the F10 generation.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'Carleton' were conducted in Neapolis, Alberta in 2023 and 2024. There were 3 replicates per variety arranged in an RCB design. Plots were 6.25 square metres consisting of 5 rows, each 5 metres long, with 0.25 metres between rows. The seeding density was 275 seeds per square metre. Measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 20 measurements per variety per year.

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Barley: 'Carleton' (left) with reference varieties ‘Brahma' (centre), and 'Altorado' (right)