Malt Barley Cultivar Ranking under Long‐Term Tillage Systems in a Semiarid Region

Abstract

Malt barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) production is shifting in the Great Plains from conventional clean-tillage (CT) methods to reduced tillage (RT) and no tillage (NT). This study aimed to determine the effect of tillage on the relative ranking of malt barley cultivars for yield components, grain yield, and quality. Six barley cultivars were grown in southwestern North Dakota from 2010 through 2013 under long-term CT, RT, and NT. Ranking of cultivars did not change across tillage systems for plant density, plant height, or spike density (P > 0.05). Likewise, a tillage × cultivar interaction was not detected for grain yield, except in 2012 (P = 0.007) when dry conditions developed and persisted. That year, the grain yield of cultivars Pinnacle and Conrad were 5160 and 4970 kg ha -1 under NT management compared with 4170 and 3730 kg ha -1 under CT. Yield of other cultivars was unaffected by tillage system in 2012. Tillage × cultivar interactions were detected for grain protein concentration and test weight; however, one or more cultivars consistently produced grain with quality traits that were comparable or superior to those of other cultivars in each tillage system. Grain protein concentration decreased from 131 g kg -1 under CT to 113 g kg -1 under NT across years and cultivars, whereas grain test weight was sometimes heavier under NT. The results of this research indicate that cultivar recommendations can be extended across long-term contrasting tillage systems when malt barley is grown in the Great Plains.

Malt Barley Yield and Quality Affected by Irrigation, Tillage, Crop Rotation, and Nitrogen Fertilization

“…Tillage had no effect on grain yield in all years, but continuous barley reduced yield compared with barley–pea in 2011 (Table 5). Several researchers (Sainju et al, 2013; Carr et al, 2014) reported that tillage had no effect on Tradition cultivar of malt barley grain yield in eastern Montana and southwestern North Dakota. It was surprising that irrigation did not significantly increase grain yield compared with no‐irrigation in all years (Table 5), except during the below‐average precipitation in 2008, suggesting that irrigation is needed to sustain yield during extended dry periods.…”

“…A possible reason could be lower N availability at the surface layer with no‐till than conventional till, as soil NO 3 content at 5 to 10 cm was lower with no‐till than conventional till (Sainju et al, 2014c). Carr et al (2014) reported that malt barley protein concentration increased as tillage intensity increased. No‐till management can be a viable option to sustain malt barley quality by reducing protein concentration of grain for malting purposes.…”

“…Effect of tillage on spring barley yields have been variable, with reduced (Peterson and Potts, 1985), similar (O’ Sullivan and Ball, 1982; Sainju et al, 2013), or increased (Ciha, 1982) yields in no‐till compared with conventional till. No‐till reduced malt barley grain protein concentration, but increased test weight compared with conventional till (Carr et al, 2014). Inclusion of legumes, such as pea, in the rotation with malt barley can reduce N fertilization rate and sustain malt barley yield and quality compared with continuous malt barley (Sainju et al, 2013, O’ Donovan et al, 2014).…”

Long-Term No-Tillage Sequesters Soil Organic Carbon in Cool Semiarid Regions

“…All tillage plots in each of the eight blocks were seeded uniformly to spring wheat in 2006 and 2007, field pea in 2008, and corn ( Zea mays L.) in 2009 to eliminate previous crop treatment effects. In the current study, barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) was seeded in tillage plots in four blocks and rotated with corn seeded in tillage plots in the other four blocks from 2010 through 2013 (Carr et al, 2014). Soil organic matter (SOM) concentration in the top 15‐cm (6‐in) of soil was determined by compositing 9 to 10, 2.5‐cm (1‐in) diameter soil cores randomly collected using a hydraulic‐driven soil probe in each of two fields before establishing tillage whole plots in 1992 by loss‐on‐ignition.…”

Barley Cultivar Performance Following Canola, Corn, Pea, and Spring Wheat

“…Three 6‐row (Lacey, Stellar‐ND, and Tradition) and three 2‐row (Conlon, Conrad, and Pinnacle) barley cultivars were seeded at 27 live kernels/ft 2 in the interior seven rows using a low‐disturbance, nine‐row small‐plot seeder with fluted‐disk openers directly into NT plots where canola, corn, pea, and spring wheat stubble remained after harvest the previous year. The barley cultivars are all malt types, have a range of growth characteristics and other traits (Ransom et al, 2013), and were the most widely grown barley cultivars in the state during the study (Carr et al, 2014).…”