Cultural practices to improve malt barley quality in the northeast with focus on the craft sector

Abstract

Demand is increasing for locally grown malt barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in northeastern North America driven primarily by growth in the craft beer sector. A multi-site experiment was conducted to evaluate how variety (V), seeding rate (S) and nitrogen fertilizer (N) affect malt quality in the northeast. Two barley varieties (Cerveza and Newdale), two seeding rates (200 and 400 seeds m-2), and five rates of actual applied nitrogen fertility (0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 kg ha-1) were tested at Charlottetown, PE, Ithaca, NY, Princeville, QC, and New Liskeard and Ottawa, ON. Basic agronomic data were collected from all environments including yield, thousand kernel weight and hectoliter weight. Barley of suitable quality was micromalted and subjected to malt quality analysis. Both V and S resulted in small effects on malt quality, however N had the greatest effect on most measured variables. Increased rates of N application resulted in increased yield, hectoliter weight, and thousand kernel weight, but had a negative effect on most quality traits, especially with increased protein content, reduced fine extract, Kolbach Index and friability, and increased wort beta-glucans. This study shows that for most years at most sites, it is possible to achieve malt quality in the Northeast, however excessive protein and the prevalence of pre-harvest sprout damage are the main barriers. The results of this study have implications for increased malt barley production for the craft sector as well as potential access to commodity markets for northeastern producers.

Improving upon the interrow hoed cereal system: the effects of crop density and row spacing on intrarow weeds and crop parameters in spring barley

“…Notably, there is a financial incentive to achieve malting quality; selling price was 15% greater than for feed barley in 2020 among reporting member states of the European Union (EuroStat 2021). Given that surplus protein often prevents growers from achieving malting quality standards (Mills et al 2021), a reduction in protein may be interpreted as a positive effect in many cases.…”

“…An increase in 100 plants m −2 corresponded with a TKW increase of 0.97 g and 0.35 g in WMT weedy and WMT tineharrow treatments, respectively; however, for WMT herbicide , a slight decrease of −0.27 g per 100 plants m −2 was observed. TKW is expected to decline in the absence of weeds as crop density and intraspecific competition increase (Mills et al 2021;O'Donovan et al 2012). However, in the presence of weeds, the negative effects of increasing crop density may be offset by the suppression of intrarow weeds.…”

“…Results are consistent with anticipated outcomes. Increasing a crop's population in-field typically has a negative effect on grain bulk density (Mills et al 2021), although variable and null effects have also been observed (Pageau 1991;Thomason et al 2009). In EXP 2020 , grain bulk density was only slightly greater in WMT herbicide (1%) compared with WMT weedy and WMT tineharrow ; row spacing had no effect in either year.…”