For the cultivation of malting barley, a special technology is used, which allows growing grains with specified characteristics. This grain cereal is widely used in the food industry, primarily in beer production. In addition, malting barley is used as a raw material for the production of malt extracts, confectionery, and pharmaceuticals. It is useful in agriculture, textile, and paint and varnish industries.

Table of contents:

1. Classification.
2. Qualitative characteristics.
3. Popular varieties of malting barley.
4. Best soils and precursor crops.
5. Seed preparation.
6. Sowing technology and growth phases of malting barley.
7. Handling and care.
8. Harvest.
9. Storage.

Classification

There are more than 100 varieties of malting barley classified according to morphological and agrotechnical characteristics. The morphology refers to the ear structure, which can be two-row and six-row. A two-row ear has an average of 25–30 grains. Six-row varieties of malting barley have a higher yield. A typical ear produces 30–60 grains of the same shape and size, excellent for the production of high-quality malt.

According to its agrotechnical characteristics, there are spring and winter malting barleys. Varieties are planted in different seasons. Spring barley is planted from March to April, winter barley – from October to November. Planting time is chosen depending on the local climate conditions.

Qualitative Characteristics

Qualitative characteristics are understood as a set of parameters that malting barley should conform to. Such indicators determine if grains are suitable for brewing. A high-quality product should be easily processed into malt and give a high yield of beer from a unit of raw material.

Malting barley is evaluated according to the following characteristics:

• Organoleptic (color, shape, smell, size). The high-quality grain is of yellow or light yellow color, with uniform coloring without dark speckles. The shape is oval or elliptical, with rounded lateral edges. The flavor is fresh, without musty or moldy odor.
• Physiological (germination rate, moisture content). The optimal moisture content of malting barley is from 10 to 15.5%. The germination power is determined by the germination index, which should be 95% 3–5 days after sowing.
• Chemical (extract potential, starch and protein content). Barley with a concentration of protein substances from 9 to 12% is good for brewing. Upward and downward deviations make the grain unsuitable for processing. The extract potential is the mass of solids that passes into solution after the ground grain fermentation. For good raw materials, this figure is 78-82%.
• Mechanical. According to this criterion, the absolute weight of 1000 grains is measured, it should be 40–50 g.

All varieties of malting barley should conform to these characteristics. They only differ in yield, resistance to lodging and disease.

Popular Malting barley Varieties

On average, it takes 10 years to create one barley variety. Major malting and brewing companies invest heavily in grain selection because they want raw materials with flawless characteristics. There are several hundred varieties. In Russia, the most popular are the following:

• "Scarlett"
• "Gladis"
• "Donetsky 8"
• "Concita"
• "Annabelle"
• "Gonar"
• "Quench"
• "Syabra"
• "Ataman".

Local climatic conditions, soil characteristics, pests and dangerous pathogens are taken into account when choosing a variety for sowing.

Best Soils and Precursor Crops

Malting barley is grown on areas larger than 100 hectares, giving preference to areas with a flat topography and a homogeneous soil composition. This crop grows best on sod-podzolic and sod-calcareous soils with pH level of 5.6+, humus content of 1.8%, phosphorus and potassium content of at least 150 mg per 1 kg of soil. It is not recommended to sow barley on drained peatlands, wetlands, and light soils.

The best precursor crops for malting barley are tilled crops. Winter varieties are best sown after potatoes, peas, rapeseed, and leguminous crops. Spring barley gives high yields after potatoes, corn, and sugar beets.

Seed Preparation

Big and smooth seeds that meet the requirements of GOST for purity, moisture and germination are the best for sowing. 1-2 weeks before sowing, the main preparatory measure – dressing – is carried out. It helps protect seeds and seedlings from pathogenic fungi and soil bacteria. Chemicals (most often "Dividend", "Vincit") are selected taking into account the spectrum of action and the state of the seeds. Treatment is carried out with the help of special machines that evenly distribute chemicals over the grain surface. After the procedure, the seed moisture content should not exceed 15%.

Sowing Technology and Growth Phases of Malting Barley

Before sowing, soil is prepared by the methods of shallow plowing, deep fall plowing, snow capture, harrowing, and cultivation. The exact method of preparation depends on the characteristics of the soil, climatic conditions, precursor crops, and other factors. Barley is an early-maturing cereal, hence it is sown as early as possible. In case of delay, yield is reduced by 10–40%, while early sowing allows to get strong seedlings and large grains.

These are some rules and regulations for the planting season:

• The average number of seeds per 1 hectare is 5–6 million. The exact number is calculated individually, with the consideration of the selected variety and agrotechnical conditions.
• Depth of seeding is chosen depending on the soil characteristics. On sandy loam soils, the seeds are buried by 5, sometimes 8 cm. When working with wet and clay soils, the depth should not be more than 3–4 cm.
• Seeding method depends on the number of grains per 1 ha. The narrow row method is chosen if the seeding rate is more than 5.5 million seeds. In this case, the distance between the rows should be 7.5 cm. For regular row planting, the space between rows is 15 cm.

The high rate of seed germination, and the seedling vigor depend on soil moisture, air temperature, and the quality of seed and soil preparation.

During its life cycle, malting barley goes through several phases of growth and development:

• germination,
• emergence of seedlings,
• tillering,
• booting,
• heading,
• flowering,
• grain formation and maturation.

Under favorable conditions, the germination phase takes 2 to 5 days. During this period, the cereal is very sensitive to adverse climatic conditions – low temperature and humidity. Seed germination largely depends on pre-sowing treatment, since the soil crust and a deep sowing slow down the emergence of even sprouts.

At such a phase as tillering, side shoots sprout up. The main tillering node is located in the soil at a depth of 1–3 cm. Too deep or too shallow seeding should be avoided, as this reduces tillering and disrupts the healthy growth of the plant.

Booting occurs 3–4 weeks after the emergence of full sprouts. In this growth phase, ear and flowers are completely formed, and barley becomes very sensitive to the lack of light, nutrients, and moisture.

Heading usually occurs on the 40-42nd day after the first shoots. By this time, the pollinium and pistil with stigmas are fully formed.

Flowering is the most important phase of plant development. During this period, vegetative organs and the root system stop growing. Barley flowering happens simultaneously with heading or 1–3 days later.

During ripening, the cereal goes through 3 stages of ripeness: milky, waxy, and full. Grain formation takes 10–11 days, and the transition from milky to waxy ripeness, or filling stage, takes 11–14 days. After another 3–4 days, the grain ripens completely.

Handling and Care

Crop care is needed to prevent infestation, lodging, and weed invasion. Care measures help to minimize the impact of negative external factors and increase the yield. Mandatory care steps include:

• Packing – soil compacting with special rollers simultaneously with or immediately after sowing. This procedure improves the contact of seeds with the soil, in order to make seedlings thicker and more even. Rolling is good in dry weather but can be detrimental in wet soils and immediately after rainfall (in this case, the ground forms a crust, and aeration worsens).
• Harrowing, or soil loosening. As a rule, the field is harrowed on the 3rd–5th day after sowing, when the seedlings are no larger than the seeds. With the help of harrowing, thread-shaped weeds are destroyed, and soil crust is prevented. The depth of loosening should be less than the depth of seeding.
• Treatment with pesticides and herbicides to control pests and weeds. Pesticides are applied by spraying, the field is treated along the tramline. Herbicides are applied and immediately rolled into the ground using hoeing ploughs, harrows, and anti-oat machines.

Phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen fertilizers are used to fertilize crops. Potassium- and phosphorus-based chemicals are applied in the fall, simultaneously with the basic tillage. The dosage of potassium fertilizers is 120-160 kg/ha, phosphorus – 60-90 kg/ha. Nitrogen fertilizer is introduced during pre-sowing treatment, granulated urea is considered the best. The maximum dosage of nitrogen-based fertilizers is 70 kg/ha. At a higher concentration, the crop lodges, and the concentration of protein in the grains increases. Nitrogen subnutrition is the main difference when growing malting barley compared to conventional barley.

Harvesting

Harvesting begins at the stage of full maturity of malting barley. The yellow color of the straw and husk, as well as the drooping position of the ears in the morning, serve as a guide mark. More than 80% of crops should look like that.

How Barley Is Harvested:

• Before the start of large-scale harvesting, the field is mowed clean along the perimeter, with a swath of 2–3 m. The harvested grain is sent for fodder.
• Areas with lodged ears are appropriate for harvesting. Threshed grain is also sent for fodder.
• The threshing regime for brewing varieties is the same as for seed stock.

After harvesting, grains must fully retain their biological properties. Therefore, vitality-threatening grain damage is not allowed.

Storage

The harvested grains are cleaned and dried using plants with active ventilation at an air temperature of 35–45 °C. Then, with the help of sorting machines, the seeds are brought into compliance with GOST R 52325-2005, focusing on indicators such as purity, size, and uniformity. After that, the crop is packed for storage in rooms that have been previously treated with pesticides. Barley of different varieties and with different protein content is stored separately – this is a prerequisite for obtaining high-quality malt.

Crop Storage Requirements:

• The air temperature in the storage room should not exceed +21 °C, otherwise the harvest will be spoilt by the granary weevil. This beetle can hardly appear if the air does not warm up above +12 °C.
• In cases of silo storage, the permissible humidity in the room is 13%, in case of on-the-floor storage – 14%. At a higher humidity index, heat is released, so the seeds are mixed and ventilated.

High-quality raw materials are the key to excellent flavor characteristics of beer. Along with the right choice of variety, it is important to follow the technology of growing, harvesting, and storing. Not only growers, but also suppliers are responsible for the quality of grain, they must know and observe all the details of storage and transportation. Only in this case, high-quality malt can be obtained from malting barley.

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