Genetic analyses of malting quality characters in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

The present study was undertaken to delineate the nature of gene effects, epistasis type and estimation of genetic parameters in barley. Mean hectolitre weight, grain protein content and malt friability were exhibited as 58.45 kg/hl, 10.27 and 59.25 per cents, respectively. Additive x additive effects were predominant for all the quality traits, while dominance x dominance epistasis was also observed for grain protein content and Kolbach index. Duplicate type epistasis was observed for malting parameters, except hectolitre weight and 1000 grain weight in the cross PL 426/RD 2592. The highest significant positive correlation coefficient (r=0.62**) was exhibited between hectolitre weight and 1000 grain weight followed by malt extract and filtration rate (r=0.55**) etc.