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GSHO 2096 is a near isogenic barley line with extremely high grain β-amylase activity, a desirable trait in the malting and brewing industry. High levels of grain β-amylase activity are caused by a surge in endosperm-specific β-amylase (Bmy1) gene expression during the early stages of grain development with high expression levels persisting throughout development. Origins of the high β-amylase activity trait are perplexing considering GSHO 2096 is not supposed to have grain β-amylase activity. GSHO 2096 is reported to be derived from a Bowman x Risø 1508 cross followed by recurrent backcrossing to Bowman (BC5). Risø 1508 carries a mutated form of the barley prolamin binding factor, which is responsible for Bmy1 expression during grain development. Thus, the pedigree of GSHO 2096 was explored to determine the potential origins of the high grain β-amylase trait. Genotyping using the barley 50k iSelect SNP array revealed Bowman and GSHO 2096 were very similar (95.4 %) and provided evidence that both Risø 56 and 1508 are in the pedigree. Risø mutants 56 and 1508 both have perturbed hordein gene expression leading to a discernable pattern using SDS-PAGE. GSHO 2096 and Risø 56 have the same hordein pattern whereas Bowman and Risø 1508 have unique patterns. RNAseq revealed that Hor2 (B-hordein) gene expression was completely downregulated making it unique as the only known line with Bmy1 expression without Hor2 co-expression. Regardless of pedigree, GSHO 2096 remains an extremely valuable high β-amylase activity line with potential utilization in breeding for malt quality., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Barley malt is produced through a malting process; it begins with steeping followed by germination and kilning, in which dramatic changes happen for a large number of physiological and biochemical traits in barley seeds. The objectives of this study were to comprehensively investigate the phenotypic changes during malting, and identify the key regulators that modulate the expression of genes associated with malt quality traits. The results showed that there was a significant positive correlation between gibberellic acid (GA) content and the activities of some hydrolytic enzymes, including α-amylases, β-amylases, and limit dextrinase (LD), and a significant negative correlation between GA and β-glucan content. Starch content had little change, but starch granules were pitted severely during malting. Weighted gene coexpression analysis (WGCNA) identified the genes associated with the greatest changes of the examined malt traits during malting. The correlation analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis detected several key transcriptional factor (TF) regulating genes associated with malt quality. These genes and TFs regulating malting traits are potentially useful in barley breeding for malt quality improvement.

Objective: To investigate an improvement of barley germination by application of biochar leacheate in the steeping solution for upgrading malt quality., Results: Barley germination was improved when biochar leacheate was used in the steeping water during the first steeping cycle. A clear decrease in the time to reach 50% of final germination percentage was detected due to an addition of biochar leacheate, but no significant difference was observed in the percent germination at the end of germination. Hydrolase activities including α-amylase, proteinase and β-glucanase in barley grains were maximally increased during the malting process when 10% biochar leacheate was added to the first steeping water. The wort yielding indexes including both glucose and maltose content and the free amino nitrogen content were significantly increased but the β-glucan content was significantly decreased at a level of p < 0.05 when 10% biochar leacheate was added to the steeping water., Conclusions: Biochar leacheate could be used as a stimulator in the steeping solution during the first steeping cycle to improve barley germination and so upgrade malt quality.

Expression of hordeins and β-amylase during barley grain development is important in determining malting quality parameters that are controlled by protein and malt enzyme levels. The relationship between protein and enzyme levels is confounding because, in general, protein and malt enzyme activity are positively correlated and the malting and brewing industries demand relatively low levels of protein and relatively high levels of enzymes. Separation of these traits is desirable because high protein levels are one of the primary causes of barley not meeting malt quality standards. Studies on barley grain development have not resulted in a consensus on the temporal accumulation of hordein and endosperm-specific β-amylase (Bmy1) and thus, it is unclear whether hordeins and Bmy1 are under control of the same temporal regulator (s). Therefore, temporal expression patterns of hordeins (B- [Hor2], C- [Hor1], D- [Hor3], and γ-hordein [Hor5]) were compared to Bmy1 throughout grain development (5 to 35 days after anthesis (DAA)). Transcript accumulation between hordeins and Bmy1 occurred simultaneously beginning during the pre-storage phase of grain development whereas the B1-hordein protein appeared two days before Bmy1 most likely due to variations in gene copy number. Interestingly, the largest increase in hordein and Bmy1 transcript levels occurred between 5 and 9 (Hor2, Hor2-B1, Hor2-B3, Hor3, Hor5-γ1, and Hor5-γ3) or 9 and 13 DAA (Hor1 and Bmy1). Additionally, ubiquitous β-amylase (Bmy2) has a novel expression pattern and was the predominant β-amylase present between 5 and 15 DAA whereas Bmy1 was the predominant β-amylase present between 17 and 35 DAA., (Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Background: We studied the genetics of nine malt quality traits using association genetics in a panel of North Dakota, ICARDA, and Ethiopian barley lines. Grain samples harvested from Bekoji in 2011 and 2012 were used., Results: The mapping panel revealed strong population structure explained by inflorescence-type, geographic origin, and breeding history. North Dakota germplasm were superior in malt quality traits and they can be donors to improve malt quality properties. We identified 106 marker-trait associations (MTAs) for the nine traits, representing 81 genomic regions across all barley chromosomes. Chromosomes 3H, 5H, and 7H contained most of the MTAs (58.5%). Nearly 18.5% of these genomic regions contained two to three malt quality traits. Within ±250 kb of 81 genomic regions, we recovered 348 barley genes, with some potential impacting malt quality. These include invertase, β-fructofuranosidase, α-glucosidase, serine carboxypeptidase, and bidirectional sugar transporter SWEET14-like protein. Eighteen of these genes were also previously reported in the Hordeum Toolbox, and 17 of them highly expressed during the germination process., Conclusion: The results from this study invite further follow-up functional characterization experiments to relate the genes with individual malt quality traits with higher confidence. It also provides germplasm resources for malt barley improvement. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry., (© 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.)

Objectives: To study enhanced barley germination by chitooligosaccharide as an elicitor for improving the quality of malt., Results: Barley germination for both radical and leaf sprouts was enhanced when chitooligosaccharide was added to the steeping water in the first steeping cycle. The activities of hydrolases (α-/β-amylase, proteinase and β-glucanase) and antioxidases (superoxide dismutase and catalase) in the resultant malt were increased in a dose-dependent manner when chitooligosaccharide was supplemented in the steeping water. Maximal promotion was at 1 mg chitooligosaccharide/l for α-/β-amylase and proteinase, and at 10 mg/l for β-glucanase, superoxide dismutase and catalase. Malt quality, including free α-amino nitrogen content, Kolbach index, malt extract content, diastatic power, wort viscosity and the ratio of glucose, maltose and maltotriose, was significantly improved by chitooligosaccharide in seed priming at 1 mg/l., Conclusion: Application of chitooligosaccharide in the steeping water promotes barley germination and improves the quality of malt.

The variety of metabolic proteins theoretically reaches a peak at the end of germination in large-scale malting. In the present study, comparative proteomics based on two-dimensional fluorescent difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) was employed to quantitatively analyse the low-salt soluble proteins in green malts from cultivars of Dan'er and Metcalfe. Fifty-nine metabolic proteins with significant differences between cultivars were successfully identified using MALDI-TOF/TOF. The roles of differential proteins in malt quality discrimination were elucidated according to their functions. Among them, 18 proteins exhibited differences in the green malts but not in the malts between the two cultivars. They could be considered as supplementary contributors to the quality defects of Dan'er malt, and new markers for malt quality improvement., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Barley is mostly grown under rainfed condition on poor to marginal soils having deficit soil moisture and zinc (Zn) deficiency, which limits the barley productivity and grain quality. Zn spray could improve the productivity and grain quality in these soils. Therefore, this two-year field study was conducted to assess the influence of barley genotypes and clipping stages vis-à-vis Zn foliar application in barley productivity and grain quality. The experiment consisted of three barley genotypes; DWRUB 52, PL 807, and PL 426 and five clipping management; control, clipping at 50 d after sowing (DAS), clipping at 60 DAS, clipping at 50 DAS and ZnSO4 foliar spray @ 0.5% at anthesis + early milk stages and clipping at 60 DAS and ZnSO4 foliar spray @ 0.5% at anthesis + early milk stages. Barley genotype PL 426 showed in maximum lodging, protein content and yield, grain hardness, and husk content, while, DWRUB 52 gave the highest grain yield, Zn content, starch content, hectoliter weight, and bold grain proportions. Foliar spray of ZnSO4 @ 0.5% at anthesis + early milk stages significantly enhanced the grain yield of 12.5 and 12.7% with clipping at 50 DAS and 9.0 and 8.8% with clipping to 60 DAS than control crop during the first and second year, respectively. Zn content, protein content and yield, bold grains, and diastatic power were significantly improved over control with these treatments. Zn foliar application in combination with clipping may be opted to maximize the barley productivity, Zn concentration, and grains quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cereals for beer brewing have long been dominated by barley (Hordeum vulgare) and wheat (Triticum aestivum). Tritordeum, a novel amphiploid hybrid of South American barley (Hordeum chilense) and durum wheat (Triticum turgidum), is considered an interesting alternative. The aim of the study was to investigate how different malting regimes influence the malt quality of tritordeum from a beer brewing perspective. Tritordeum malt produced by a double wet steep regime with 6 days of germination exceeded commercial barley malt in amylase activity and free amino nitrogen content (FAN) while achieving equal levels of extract. A triple wet steep regime was not as successful, only yielding an increase in β-glucanase activity. FAN, extract, acidity and amylase activity in tritordeum sweet worts generally increased with germination, with all quality parameters except β-amylase activity plateauing after 5 days. Worts made from tritordeum malts generally had higher iron levels than worts made from the barley malt. A laboratory-scale brew of the best experimental tritordeum malt had the same alcohol content as the barley malt reference, confirming its potential as an alternative raw material. Elevated FAN and iron contents were retained throughout the brewing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Barley is the most popular raw material for malting, and recently, the demand for malt-based products has increased several folds in India and other South Asian countries. The barley growing season is peculiar in the sub-tropical plains region compared to European or Northern American conditions, characterized by a total crop duration of 130–145 days with a maximum grain filling duration of around only 35–40 days. A total of 19 barley genotypes were grown for three years to assess the comparative performance in relation to different quality traits, including grain physical traits and biochemical and malt quality parameters. Analysis of variance, Pearson correlation, and principal component analysis were performed to determine the correlation among different traits. The results showed significant genotypic variation among genotypes for individual grain and malt traits. Despite the shorter window for grain filling, several good malting genotypes have been developed for the sub-tropical climates. The genotypes DWRUB52, DWRB101, RD2849, DWRUB64, and DWRB91 were found suitable for malting. Based on correlation studies, a few grain parameters have been identified which can be used to predict the malting potential of a barley genotype. The hot water extract was found to be positively correlated with the grain test weight, thousand-grain weight, and malt friability but was negatively correlated with the husk content. Beta-glucan content varied from 3.4 to 6.1% (dwb); reducing the grain beta-glucan content and increasing the amylase could be priorities to address in future malt barley improvement programs under sub-tropical climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The third intron of barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) β-amylase 1 ( Bmy1) is extremely polymorphic. The use of specific insertion/deletions (indels) in the third intron as markers for cultivar development has been recommended based on associations with β-amylase activity and thermostability. The third intron of Bmy1 in 40 barley genotypes was sequenced and aligned with 15 Bmy1 intron III sequences from GenBank and four alleles ( Bmy1.a, Bmy1.b, Bmy1.c, and Bmy1.d) were identified based on indels of 126, 38, 11, and 21 bp. β-Amylase activity and thermostability were assayed in 22 North American cultivars and 12 wild barley genotypes. Cultivars carrying the Bmy1.a and Bmy1.b alleles had β-amylase activity ranges calculated on a fresh weight (FW) basis of 1.8- and 1.5-fold, respectively, and thermostability ranges of 8.8- and 1.2-fold, respectively. β-Amylase activity calculated on a protein basis yielded a 2.4- and 1.4-fold range for Bmy1.a and Bmy1.b, respectively. Significantly different activities were observed in cultivars carrying either Bmy1.a or the Bmy1.b allele when calculated on a FW basis and the Bmy1.a allele when calculated on a protein basis. Significantly different thermostabilities were observed in cultivars carrying the Bmy1.a allele. Wild barleys were found to carry Bmy1.a, Bmy1.b, and Bmy1.c alleles with β-amylase activity ranges calculated on a FW basis of 1.7-, 1.7-, and 2.6-fold, respectively, and thermostability ranges of 1.3-, 1.4-, and 2.1-fold, respectively. β-Amylase activity measured on a protein basis identified a 1.3-, 1.4-, and 2.1-fold range for Bmy1.a, Bmy1.b, and Bmy1.c, respectively. Significantly different activities were found in genotypes with any of these three alleles when calculated on a FW basis yet only in those with the Bmy1.c allele when calculated on a protein basis. Significantly different thermostabilities in genotypes carrying either the Bmy1.b or Bmy1.c allele were observed. In the germplasm studied here, the Bmy1 intron III alleles are not reliable predictors of β-amylase activity and thermostability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]