Winter Varieties Produced by Breeding

For winter barley, plant breeders have concentrated on improving yield, winter hardiness, disease resistance, awnless (beardless) and hooded spikes, smooth-awns, and other characters. Winter barley, besides being used for grain, also is used for hay, grazing, as a winter cover crop to control soil erosion, and as a companion crop for small-seeded legumes and grasses.

Improved sorts adapted to the Atlantic Coast States include Wong, Sunrise, Calhoun, Marett Awnless 1, and Smooth Awn 86. Wong was released in New York in 1941. It was bred in China and brought to this country by H. H. Love, of Cornell University. It has a stiff straw, resists mildew, and has nearly awnless spikes. It has yielded 4 to 5 bushels more than other common varieties. It is grown in New York, Pennsylvania, and to a lesser extent in New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.

Sunrise was produced by J. W. Taylor, of the Department, and introduced by the North Carolina station in 1942. It is awnless and resistant to mildew, but quite susceptible to loose smut and rust. It has a stiff straw that is inclined to be short. At the Statesville, N. C., station, in an 8-year test, it led all other named varieties in yield. Ordinarily it stands well and the combine can be used on it. Sunrise is grown extensively in North Carolina and Alabama and to a limited extent in Virginia, Maryland, South Carolina, and Georgia.

Calhoun also was produced by Taylor and released in South Carolina in 1945. It is similar to Sunrise in type, has stiff straw, and is resistant to mildew, stripe, and nigra loose smut.

Marett Awnless 1, released in South Carolina in 1940, is a true awnless kind especially adapted for grazing because of its semiprostrate and abundant early growth. It is generally grown from fall seeding but it also does well when sown somewhat later. It is resistant to mildew and stripe. Marett Awnless 1 is not adapted to the Coastal Plains section; it is grown in western South Carolina, and to a limited extent in adjacent North Carolina and Georgia.

Smooth Awn 86 is a six-rowed, smooth-awned variety, another of Taylor's handiwork. Released in Virginia in 1939, Smooth Awn 86 is moderately winter hardy and has a medium stiff straw. It resisted green bugs at Denton, Tex., in 1942, when green bugs destroyed nearly all varieties tested, except Smooth Awn 86 and several others obtained from China and Chosen. It is moderately resistant to mildew, covered smut, and nigra loose smut and has given satisfactory yields of grain. It is grown in Virginia.

Jackson and Jackson 1 were released by the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station in 1941 and 1944, respectively. These two varieties, sister strains from the same hybrid, were produced by N. I. Hancock of the Tennessee station. Jackson 1 has produced more grain than any other variety tested in Tennessee. The yield of Jackson has been equal to Tennessee Winter 52, the commonly grown variety, except on soils of medium fertility where Jackson outyields this variety.' Jackson 1 stools abundantly and is used for winter pasture in combination with crimson clover. Jackson 1 threshes more easily than Jackson and for this reason the grain has a higher test weight. Both varieties are smooth awned and are sufficiently hardy for Tennessee conditions. Jackson is reported to be resistant to scald and nigra loose smut and moderately resistant to stripe. The present acreage is in Tennessee and adjacent Kentucky and Virginia.

Tenkow was released by the Oklahoma station in 1941. It is an example of a variety which finally found its place after a long and devious journey. The cross from which it came was made in 1905 by H. A. Miller, of the Department, who then was conducting cooperative barley experiments at the Maryland station. H. B. Derr, also of the Department, made the selection from the cross that came to be called Tenkow. The Oklahoma station received the variety in 1926, and tests at that station in subsequent years showed it to be superior. It is six-'rowed, rough-awned, and has a semiwinter habit of growth. At Stillwater, Okla., Tenkow has yielded 3 bushels more than Ward in a 6-year test, and its test weight has been 2 pounds heavier. It is grown in Oklahoma and northern Texas.

Fayette is a high-yielding, semiwinter barley released by the Arkansas station in 1945. Its moderate resistance of mildew and leaf rust and its semierect habit of growth make it good for winter grazing when sown early.