Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
April 30, 2002

Prairie malting barley producers looking for new, high-yielding varieties will soon need to search no further than CDC Copeland and CDC Select, two of the latest two-row malting barleys developed by the University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre (CDC).

“CDC Copeland and CDC Select represent a substantial jump in yield compared to previous releases from our two-row breeding program,” says Dr. Bryan Harvey, the long-time CDC malt barley breeder. The varieties out-yield Harrington by an average of 16 percent and 11 percent respectively across the Prairies, and feature several other production and market benefits.

CDC Copeland and CDC Select are performing well in commercial testing and could be widely available to western Canadian producers in as soon as two years, says Harvey. The varieties were developed in part with support from the Barley Check-off Fund, administered by Western Grains Research Foundation

In addition to high yield, the two varieties feature improved kernel plumpness and hull adherence, says Harvey. Both have a standard disease package, but with improved net blotch resistance and what appears to be better sprouting resistance. CDC Copeland’s tolerance to Fusarium Head Blight is as good as any comparable variety, while CDC Select is more susceptible to the disease. Where the varieties part ways is on quality. CDC Copeland has a “European” quality package, while CDC Select’s quality is tailored for North American brewers.

“Both varieties are adapted across Western Canada, but CDC Copeland is especially suited for West Central Saskatchewan, where it outyields Harrington by 26 percent,” he says.

While farmers are interested in CDC Copeland’s yield performance, the variety is raising eyebrows in malting and brewing circles for its unique quality package. “It has a very unusual combination of low beta-glucan and soluble protein levels in the malt,” explains Harvey. “Typically, one is low and one is high or vice-versa.”

In the brewing process, having low levels of both beta-glucan and soluble protein helps prevent poor flavouring and hazing, he says. “In most barley varieties, high-stress conditions, such as the 2001 drought, can cause beta-glucan levels to rise too high, which is possible to overcome by extending germination in the malting process, but by doing that, you often increase soluble protein levels. The beauty of CDC Copeland is that maltsters have a lot of room to bring down beta-glucan levels to their particular specifications without having to worry about the soluble protein shooting up.”

So far, both varieties look promising in commercial testing, says Harvey. “Maltsters are very pleased with both varieties and limited brewing tests show they are satisfactory.”

Secan is marketing CDC Copeland and Agricore United is marketing CDC Select.

The Barley Check-off Fund contributes over $600,000 annually to barley breeding programs in Western Canada. Breeding targets include improved agronomy, disease resistance and quality for both feed and malting varieties.