Objective:

To evaluate the agronomic performance of barley varieties grown in environments representative of northwestern Montana.  

Results:

Twenty-four barley varieties were evaluated for yield and agronomic performance using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Significant differences were observed for heading, height, test weight, and percent plump, but no significant differences were observed for yield and protein (Table 2).  Heading date averaged 176 Julian days (June 24) and ranged from 169 days for Conlon to 179 days for Merit, MT100126, and Moravian115.  Heights averaged 27.8 inches and ranged from 19.4 inches for Stockford to 31.2 inches for Stepford.  Yields averaged 86.6 bushels per acre. Protein averaged 9.57 percent.  Average test weight was 52.6 lb/bu and ranged from 47.4 lb/bu for Stepford to 54.4 lb/bu for Champion.  Percent plump averaged 96.9 %, and ranged from 89.0 % for Lavina to 99.2 % for Conlon.   

Summary:

The highest yielding commercially available cultivars in this study were Hockett, Merit, and Synergy; however, their differences were not statistically significant. 

Table 1. Materials and Methods.

Seeding Date: 4/21/2016 Harvest Date: 8/17/2016
Julian Date: 112 Julian Date: 230
Seeding Rate: 80 lb/A Soil Type: Creston SiL
Previous Crop: Winter Wheat Soil Test: 9-8-200
Tillage:  Conventional Fertilizer: 50-25-60
Herbicide: Post Huskie 11 oz/A + Axial 16.4 oz/A + NIS 1 qt/100 gal + UAN
Herbicide: Late Post - Stinger 1/3 pt/A

Table 2. Barley off-station, Kalispell, MT - 2016.

Cultivar HD Julian HT in YLD bu/A1 PRO %2 TWT lb/bu1 PLMP %
Hockett 176 30.2 111.0 9.93 54.3 98.6
MT090190 178 29.9 107.3 9.53 54.2 97.7
Merit 179 30.5 105.7 9.30 53.1 97.1
Synergy 177 29.2 102.4 9.83 51.9  98.3 
Haxby 171 30.2 100.9 9.73 54.1 98.2
Stepford 172 31.2 90.3 10.43 47.4 96.4
Moravian 115 179 21.6 89.9 9.33 51.8 98.6
Copeland 177 29.6 89.7 9.60 52.9 98.1
Eslick 178 25.1 89.4 8.83 52.3  97.1 
MT100126 179 27.3 88.9 9.20 54.2 97.9
Craft 173 30.6 87.1 9.50 53.1  98.4 
MT090182 177 30.6 87.1 8.93 52.8  97.9 
MT124555 175 25.5 85.3 9.07 53.4  98.6 
Hays 178 26.2 83.6 9.93 50.4  90.8 
Metcalfe 176 29.4 83.5 9.80 53.4  96.6 
Harrington 177 28.9 81.8 9.53 53.7  97.9 
Lavina 175 28.3 80.6 10.17 51.0  89.0 
MT100120 178 27.3 80.5 8.43 53.1  98.3 
Pinnacle 175 27.8 79.5 9.20 53.8 98.7 
Champion 176 27.6 79.2 9.67 54.4 98.1 
Conrad 177 26.9 76.6 9.47 52.6  98.2 
Conlon 169 26.3 72.7 10.20  51.0  99.2 
Stockford 176 19.4 69.1 10.07 50.8 95.7
Haybet 175 28.6 56.0 9.90  51.7  91.1 
Mean 176 27.8 86.6 9.57  52.6  96.9 
CV 0.8 13.2 24.7 7.30  1.6  1.0 
LSD 2.2 6.0 ns ns  1.4  1.6 
Pr>F 0.0001 0.0408 0.4436 0.1702 0.0001 0.0001

HD: heading; HT: height; YLD: yield; PRO: protein; TWT: test weight; PLMP: percent plump; ns: non-significant

1 adjusted to 13% moisture

2 reported on a dry matter basis