Hulless Barley Selections Combined with Improved Protein Content and Grain Filling

Twelve lines of 6-rowed hulless barley, derived from a complex cross Involving Hiproly, were selected for high grain weight and protein content under intensive selection pressure on about 200 single plants already selected for agronomic superiority.

These lines were found to possess, in addition the higher protein content high starch content and amylose content as well, compared to the checks on grain basis. Their higher amylose levels with higher starch content is indicative of the influence the amylose molecules could exert on the increased synthesis of starch either by facilitating more substrate (amylose) molecules to bind with the starch synthetase and/or branching enzyme. It appears that these new lines do have the potential to bring about better starch formation simultaneously with higher protein content. It would further appear that the breeding approach for selecting better lines with the good grain weight together with protein content would be to select for grain weight first and subseuently for protein content and starch content in these bold grains on a single grain basis since on a single grain basis these parameters exhibited greater coefficient of variability.