Improvement and Development of Barley

for use in Feed, Malt, and Food

Virginia Tech

The Virginia Tech Barley Breeding program aims to develop high yielding, disease resistant barley cultivars adapted to the mid-Atlantic and southeastern U.S. region and with qualities designed for malt, feed and food. The growth of craft malting, brewing and distilling industries in the mid-Atlantic and eastern U.S. has driven demand for locally grown malt barley varieties adapted to the east coast.

The main goals of this research is to: 1) assess and improve yield potential and other desirable traits such as disease resistance, grain composition and quality of barley having diverse end uses; 2) develop barley cultivars comparable to or better than current high yielding cultivars Atlantic, Secretariat, SB255, and Thoroughbred using both conventional and marker assisted breeding methods and; 3) implement a program to develop barley varieties with greater marketability in both domestic and foreign markets and, thereby, make barley an economical cash crop. 

The Maryland Grain Producers are excited to see the results stemming from this research for Maryland barley growers. This year the Maryland Grain Producers funded this research with $6,000.

The Virginia Tech Barley Breeding Program released a forage barley (VA16BFHB-268 NA) cultivar, in March of 2021 as a replacement for 'Nomini' (released in 1991) winter barley cultivar. Cultivar VA16BFHB-268 NA is awnless (beardless) like 'Nomini', which makes it more palatable than awned cultivars. It has an excellent nutritional profile compared to available commercial awnless cultivars. One other advanced feed barley line VA17B-166 is also being considered for potential release in 2022. Four elite double haploid malt barley lines are being evaluated as potential release candidates. The Virginia Tech Barley Breeding Program will continue to develop and evaluate new barley lines derived from crosses made between hulled cultivars and breeding lines with a number of our outstanding malt barley lines.

Developing, Improving, and Maintaining Overseas

and Domestic Markets for U.S. Barley Growers

National Barley Growers Association

The Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board takes pride in providing funding for the National Barley Growers Association (NBGA). NBGA represents U.S. barley growers to enhance and maintain the profitability of our barley industry. In addition, NBGA provides the Maryland Grain Producers with national updates regarding the barley industry. 

For 2022, NBGA will continue to work for growers across the state and country! The Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board has funded $1,421 towards NBGA.