2014 Barley Variety Evaluations In The Western Triangle Area.

Personnel: John H. Miller, Julie Prewett, and Gadi V.P. Reddy, Western Triangle Ag. Research Center, Conrad, MT and Tom Blake, PSPP, Bozeman.

Dryland off-station barley variety trials were grown in Teton County near Choteau, Glacier County near Cut Bank, Toole County near Devon, and Choteau County near the Knees. The on-station trials at Conrad were grown on dryland and irrigated in 2014. All trials were no-till planted on chemical fallow.

The 2014 growing season at WTARC was a little cooler than average with a wetter than normal June. The June rain was very timely with respect to the small grain plots.

Results: Data for the dryland Intrastate trials at Conrad are listed in Table 1, with multi- year data shown in Table 2. Table 3 is the irrigated intrastate trial, with Table 4 containing the multi-year summary. Table 5 are data from the off station irrigated barley trial. Tables 6 thru 10 are for off station barley nurseries. The Cut Bank nursery was lost to hail.

The 2014 dryland intrastate and irrigated intrastate barley nurseries contained hooded and hulless barleys along with the normal spring barley. The test weights to the hulless and hooded barleys tend to be much higher than the test weight of feed and malt barley. The dryland intrastate barley was harvested just before the wet period in August. Yields for the dryland intrastate nursery were quite high, averaging 112.7 bu/acre, with an average kernel plumpness of 89.4%, a mean protein of 10.5%, and a average test weight of 53.6 lb/bu. (Table 1) Four year means from the dryland intrastate nursery are from traditional barleys. (Table 2)

The irrigated intrastate barley was harvested just after the wet period in August. There was sprout and mold damage in the irrigated intrastate nursery. Yields for the irrigated intrastate nursery were not as high as the dryland intrastate nursery, averaging 94.1 bu/acre, with an average kernel plumpness of 92.7%, a mean protein of 10.2%, and a average test weight of 50.7 lb/bu (Table 3). Four year means from the dryland intrastate nursery are from traditional barleys (Table 4).

Grain yields averaged 73.4 bu/acre at the Knees, 57.8 bu/acre north of Devon, and 78.2 bu/acre at the Choteau site. Kernel plumpness averaged 90.9% and test weight averaged 46.4 lbs/bu at the Devon site while kernel plumpness averaged 88.4% and test weight averaged 46.9 lbs/bu at the Knees. Choteau kernel plumpness was 66.1% and test weight averaged 49.2 lbs/bu. Top yielding varieties at the Knees were Haxby, Champion, and MT100120, whereas the top yielding barleys north of Devon were Tradition, MT100120, and MT090180. Yielding highest at the Choteau site were Champion, Craft, and MT100120. The Cut Bank site was not harvested due to severe hail damage.

All malt varieties in the dryland intrastate nursery met or exceeded market requirements for test weight, protein, and plump in 2014.

Off station cooperators: Bradley Farms, north of Cut Bank, MT

Brian Aklestad, north of Devon, MT Aaron Killion, east of Brady, MT Inbody Farms, northeast of Choteau, MT

These data should be used for comparative purposes rather than using absolute numbers. Statistics are used to indicate that treatment or variety differences are really different and are not different due to chance or error. The least significant difference (LSD) and coefficient of variability (CV) values are useful in comparing treatment or variety differences. The LSD value represents the smallest difference between two treatments at a given probably level. The LSD at p=0.05 or 5 % probability level is usually the statistic reported, and it means that the odds are 19 to 1 that treatment differences by the amount of the LSD are truly different. The CV value measures the variability of the experiment or variety trial, and a CV greater than 15 % indicates a high degree of variability and less accuracy.

Funding Summary: Office of Special Projects will provide expenditure information. No other grants support this project.

MWBC FY2015 Grant Submission Plans: A similar project will be proposed for FY 2015. The continuation of on and off-station variety trials help to elucidate researchers and farmers which varieties are better suited for that particular region in Montana.

Table 1. Intrastate Barley variety trial, Conrad 2014.

Planted April 22, 2014 on chemical fallow barley stubble. Harvest August 19, 2014. Fertilizer, actual (lbs/a): 11-22-0 place with seed at planting, 12-0-20 broadcast while seeding. Fertilizer rates are based on achieving malt grade barley. Growing season ppt: 6.54 inches.

Preplant sprayed with RT3 at 20oz per acre on 4/24/14. Sprayed on 5/30/2014 on Huskie at 11 oz/a and Axial XL at 16.4 oz/a

Location: MSU Western Triangle Ag Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Table 2. 4-year Means, Intrastate Dryland Barley varieties, Conrad, MT, 2011-2014

1 Tradition is 6-row; all others are 2-row.

Location: MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Table 3. Irrigated Intrastate Barley variety trial, Conrad 2014.

Planted May 1, 2014 on fallow. Harvest September 5, 2014.

Fertilizer, actual (lbs/a): 11-22-0 place with seed at planting, 60-0-20 broadcast while seeding. Fertilizer rates are based on a yield goal of 90 bu/a.

Growing season ppt: 8.35 inches. Irrigation = 4.0 inches

Preplant sprayed with RT3 at 20 oz/a on 5/1/2014. Sprayed with Huskie at 11 oz/a and Axial XL at 16.4 oz/a on 6/10/2014. Location: MSU Western Triangle Ag Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Table 4. Five year Means, Intrastate Irrigated Barley varieties, Conrad, MT, 2009, 2011-2014

1 Tradition is 6-row; all others are 2-row.

Location: MSU Western Triangle Ag. Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Table 5. 2014 Irrigated Barley variety trial, Conrad, MT.

Planted May 1, 2014 on chemical fallow barley stubble. Harvest September 6, 2014. Fertilizer, actual (lbs/a): 11-22-0 place with seed at planting, 60-0-20 broadcast while seeding. Fertilizer rates are based on achieving malt grade barley.

Growing season ppt: 8.35 inches. Irrigation = 4.0 inches

Preplant sprayed with RT3 at 20 oz/a on 5/1/2014. Sprayed with Huskie at 11 oz/a and Axial XL at 16.4 oz/a on 6/10/2014.

Location: MSU Western Triangle Ag Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Table 6. Off-station spring barley variety trial located in the Choteau area.

Western Triangle Ag. Research Center. 2014.

Planted May 6, 2014 on chemical fallow. Harvest August 13, 2014.

Fertilizer, actual (lbs/a): 11-22-0 place with seed at planting, 15-0-20 broadcast while seeding. Fertilizer rates are based on achieving malt grade barley.

Growing season ppt: Forgot to read at harvest. Herbicide: None

Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Table 7. 3-year means, dry land Barley varieties, Choteau. 2012-2014.

Table 8. 2014 Barley variety trial, Devon, MT.

Cooperator and Location: Brian Aklestad farm, north east of Devon. Planted May 21, 2014 on chemical fallow. Harvest September 7, 2014.

Fertilizer, actual (lbs/a): 11-22-0 place with seed at planting, 30-0-20 broadcast while seeding. Fertilizer rates are based on achieving malt grade barley.

Growing season ppt: 3.8 inches.

Herbicide: The plot area was pre-plant sprayed with 20 oz/a RT3 on 5/21/2014. The plots were sprayed with Huskie at 11 oz/a and Axial XL at 16.4 oz/a on 6/16/2014.

Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag Research Center, Conrad, MT.

Table 9. Four-year means, Barley varieties, Devon area, Eastern Toole County. 2011-2014.

Table 10. Off-station spring barley variety trial located in the Knees area. Western Chouteau County. Western Triangle Ag. Research Center. 2014.

Cooperator and Location: Aaron Killion, western Chouteau County. Planted May 21, 2014 on chemical fallow. Harvest September 6, 2014.

Fertilizer, actual (lbs/a): 11-22-0 place with seed at planting, 0-0-20 broadcast while seeding. Fertilizer rates are based on achieving malt grade barley.

Growing season ppt: 3.8 inches.

Herbicide: The plot area was pre-plant sprayed with 20 oz/a RT3 on 5/21/2014. Conducted by MSU Western Triangle Ag Research Center, Conrad, MT.