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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Aberdeen, Idaho » Small Grains and Potato Germplasm Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #198491
Title: REGISTRATION OF 'HERALD' BARLEY

Author
item Bregitzer, Paul
item Raboy, Victor
item Obert, Donald
item WINDES, JULIET - UNIV OF IDAHO, ABERDEEN
item WHITMORE, JAMES - UNIV OF IDAHO, TETONIA

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/12/2006
Publication Date: 2/6/2007
Citation: Bregitzer, P.P., Raboy, V., Obert, D.E., Windes, J.M., Whitmore, J.C. 2007. Registration of 'herald' barley. Crop Science 47:441-442, 2007

Interpretive Summary: 'Herald' is a new barley cultivar , the first to have a reduced level of phytate, the predominant form of phosphorus in seeds. Phytate cannot be digested by humans and non-ruminant animals, and can contribute to phosphorus and mineral deficiencies when grain is the major component of a diet. Furthermore, the undigested phosphorus contributes to phosphorus water pollution, a problem of particular importance for large-scale animal production of pigs, chickens, fish, and other non-ruminants. Low phytate barleys such as Herald, by having reduced phytate and increased levels of available phosphorus, contribute to better phosphorus and mineral nutrition. Furthermore, animals fed low phytate grain utilize more of the grain phosphorus, require less phosphorus supplementation, and excrete less phosphorus in their manure. Consequently, the use of Herald barley--versus other barley cultivars--will contribute to producer profitability by reducing the need for expensive ration supplements, and contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing the release of phosphorus to surface and ground waters.

Technical Abstract: 'Herald' (Reg. No. xxx, P.I. 642403 ) is a low-phytate six-rowed spring feed barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivar developed cooperatively and released in 2006 by the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station. It is the first released representative of a novel class of barley germplasm that provides enhanced phosphorus (P) digestibility and mineral nutrition for humans and non-ruminant animals.