Progress in Breeding of Spring Barley for Malting Quality in the Breeding Station Hrubčice

Abstract

The study assesses the quality of spring barley malting varieties bred in the Breeding Station in Hrubčice. After 60 years of breeding, extract content, the level of relative extract at 45 °C, and Kolbach index increased by 2.2, 2.4, and 4.2 percentage points respectively. Diastatic power increased by 60.6 WK units. Wort quality improved by 2.8 percentage points and the friability level by 6.8 percentage points; β-glucan content in wort reduced by 23.0 mg/l but this was not statistically signifi cant. The varieties contributed to the improvement of extract content in wort from 12.34%, to the level of relative extract at 45 °C from 4.84% and Kolbach index from 2.35%. The value of diastatic power was affected by the variety from 23.44% and wort quality from 11.25%. The degradation of cell walls was affected by the variety from 11.42% while β-glucan content from 6.36%.