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Mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) responsible for malting quality traits in barley populations has been the main genetic approach to malting quality breeding. A Ôwinter · springÕ doubled haploid barley population ÔNureÕ · ÔTremoisÕ, where such traits were segregating, has been recently developed. Our objective was to map QTLs for malting quality from 2 years of trials in two contrasting locations. QTLs were found on six chromosomes, with a main cluster on chromosome 1H. For wort viscosity and malt extract, favourable alleles at two loci on chromosome 5H were carried by the winter feeding parent ÔNureÕ. Doubled-haploids with higher quality than the spring malting cultivar ÔTremoisÕ showed either a facultative or a winter growth habit and a level of frost tolerance comparable with that of the winter tolerant parent ÔNureÕ. Markers and QTLs of quality traits were further validated on a separate set of DH lines, coming from the same cross, by means of marker-assisted selection. This showed that, at least in the present cross combination, positive contributions to malting quality can be found in winter feed barley.

The genetic gain of oats in Italy over the past 40 years was evaluated using 14 cultivars belonging to three diVerent groups: (i) Wve cultivars derived from local populations at the beginning of the oat breeding in Italy; (ii) four foreign cultivars, introduced in Italy in the 1980s; (iii) Wve modern cultivars, selected through speciWc breeding programmes. The genotypes were tested for 2 years in three locations characterised by diVerent climatic conditions and agricultural practices; furthermore in one location in Southern Italy, irrigated and rainfed plots were compared. Genetic gain was estimated equal to 3.6 g m ¡2 y ¡1 based on eight environments. The performance of the most recent cultivars was high under both irrigated and rainfed conditions, showing a good adaptation of these genotypes to both fertile and drought prone environments. Finally, yield increase in oats was found to be negatively correlated with plant height and positively correlated with test weight and seed weight.