The INUDFOOD Report
Brigid Meints1, Patrick Hayes2, Scott Fisk2, Kevin Murphy3, Luis Cistué4, Bill Thomas5 1NW Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, Mount Vernon, WA 98273; 2Crop and Soil Science Department, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331; 3Crop and Soil Science Department, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164; 4Estación Experimental de Aula Dei, CSIC, Zaragoza, Spain 5The James Hutton Institute, Invergowrie, Dundee DD2 5DA, Scotland UK
The INUDFOOD (International hull-less food barley) trial represents the start of an international collaboration directed at the rapid development of diverse food barley germplasm resources. It arose from our goal to increase agronomic performance and provide growers and consumers with a range of grain colors, tastes, textures, and processing attributes. The end-goal of this trial is to release varieties that are best adapted to the regions where the trial is being grown.
Working with a network of international collaborators, we collected germplasm from Europe in order to broaden our germplasm base. In order to efficiently introgress this exotic germplasm into adapted backgrounds, we collaborated with Dr. Luis Cistué from the Estación Experimental de Aula Dei, CSIC, in Zaragoza, Spain to produce doubled haploids (using anther culture) from crosses of OSU food germplasm with selected German winter barleys that have excellent agronomic performance and high levels of winter hardiness. These doubled haploids were initially grown in Oregon, USA and at multiple locations in Spain.
After several years of phenotypic selection for agronomic and quality traits at these locations, selected lines were advanced to the INUDFOOD trial. There are 30 lines in this trial, 13 selected by OSU, 14 selected by Dr. Cistué and colleagues and three hulled check varieties. The experimental germplasm is all doubled haploid and hull-less and includes waxy and non-waxy starch types with moderately high grain β-glucan content. Our program is focusing on breeding exclusively hull-less barley for food end-uses due to the additional processing steps that become necessary in the presence of an adhering hull.
The INUDFOOD trial was planted in fall 2013 at four locations: Corvallis, OR, USA; Pullman, WA, USA; Lleida, Spain; and Dundee, Scotland, and in winter 2014 at Corvallis, OR, USA. Agronomic and quality traits and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses were measured at each location based on regional relevance. Results from the first year are promising. A number of the hull-less entries rival or out-yield the checks and have excellent agronomic and food quality ratings. Data from each location are presented in tables at the end of this report.
The INUDFOOD trial was planted again in fall 2014 at five locations: Corvallis, OR, USA; Pullman, WA, USA; Mount Vernon, WA, USA; Lleida, Spain; and Dundee, Scotland. Two years of data at multiple locations will allow us to begin selecting entries for variety release.