The study of yield and quality characteristics of some barley varieties for feed production and brewing

This thesis study was conducted during the 2013–2014 growing season to determine the agronomic and quality characteristics of 13 barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars under the ecological conditions of Alaşehir. The experiment was established in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Parameters such as plant height, spike and grain traits, yield components, as well as moisture content, hectoliter weight, and protein ratio were evaluated. As a result, statistically significant differences were observed among cultivars for many of the examined traits. The highest plot yield was recorded in the cultivar Çatalhöyük with 616.063 kg/da while the highest biological yield was obtained from Vamik Hoca with 1898.045 kg/da. Çatalhöyük also had the highest harvest index (31.480%) and number of spikes per square meter (637.00). Sancak stood out with the highest straw yield (1571.357 kg/da), whereas Akhisar 98 exhibited superior values in plant height (81.525 cm), number of grains per spike (23.725), and thousand-kernel weight (41.50 g). The highest protein content was observed in Aydan Hanım (20.41%). Since the protein content of all cultivars exceeded the ideal range of 9–12% required for malting quality, none were found suitable for the brewing industry. Based on an overall evaluation of the parameters, Çatalhöyük and Vamık hoca were identified as the most suitable cultivars for feed use, due to their high plot yield, harvest index, thousand-kernel weight, and number of grains per spike. The findings of this research provide valuable insights for cultivar selection and breeding programs aimed at feed barley production. Keywords: Barley, yield, quality, protein content.