Summary
This multi-year field study evaluated agronomic management strategies for naked food barley in no-till systems across the Palouse region, addressing a gap in published data for this underutilised food crop. Increased nitrogen fertilisation significantly enhanced grain yield and protein content up to 95 kg N ha⁻¹, whilst β-glucan content was primarily determined by genotype (variety Julie showed higher β-glucan and protein than Havener) and interacted with environmental and agronomic conditions. The findings suggest that barley quality and productivity in dryland cropping systems depend on matched selection of variety and nitrogen management rather than seeding rate alone.
UK applicability
The results are moderately applicable to UK temperate arable systems, particularly rainfed regions with similar soil and climate characteristics. However, UK barley cultivation is dominated by malting and feed varieties; uptake would require parallel trials with UK-adapted naked barley varieties and validation against UK soil types and seasonal variability.
Key measures
Grain yield (kg/ha), β-glucan content (%), protein content (%), plant height (cm), days to heading, days to maturity, test weight, percent plump kernels, percent thin kernels, emergence rate
Outcomes reported
The study measured effects of nitrogen fertilisation rates (0–162 kg N ha⁻¹) and seeding rates (250–375 seeds/m²) on grain yield, β-glucan content, protein content, and agronomic characteristics (plant height, days to heading/maturity, test weight, kernel quality) in two naked barley varieties grown under no-till management.
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