BARLEY (Hordeum vulgare)

• Botanical Name: Hordeum vulgare
• Family: Graminae (Poaceae)
• Chromosome Number (2n): 14
• Inflorescence: Spike/Head
• Protein Content: 11.5–12.5%, majorly albuminoids
• Dwarfing Gene: Uzu

Morphology & Uses:

• Barley leaves are broader, light green, and rough compared to wheat
• Does not contain gluten – not suitable for bread-making
• More tolerant to saline and alkali soils than most cereals
• Widely used in malting industries – for beer, vinegar, alcohol, yeast, and malt

Types/Classifications:

1. H. vulgare: Six-rowed, all spikelets fertile, awned or hooded, uniform arrangement — commonly grown in India
2. H. irregulare: Ear may be two or six-rowed; lemma without hoods; high protein
3. H. distichon: Two-rowed, only central spikelet fertile, low protein

Varieties:

• Azad, Amber, Kailash, Dolma (Huskless), Clipper, Ranjit, Ratna, Jyoti, RS-6, RD-2552
• Moly nematode resistant: RD-2052, RD-2035, Rajkiran

Seed Rate:

• Irrigated (hulled or huskless): 75–80 kg/ha
• Rainfed: 100–120 kg/ha

Important Varieties in India:

• RD-2552, RD-2035, RD-2508, Azad, Clipper, Ratna, Jyoti
• Huskless: Dolma, Kailash (preferred for baby food, human consumption)

• Climate Requirement: Temperate to subtropical. Optimum temperature: 15–20°C. It is a rabi season crop in India
• Soil Requirement: Well-drained loamy soils. Tolerates saline, alkaline, and marginal soils better than wheat
• Major Producing States: Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh
• Barley Uses: Malt production, brewing industry. Cattle feed, breakfast cereals, soups. Barley straw is used as bedding and feed for animals
• Malt Purpose Varieties: DWRUB 52, DWRB 101, DWRB 91
• Drought & Salinity Tolerance: Highly tolerant compared to other cereals. Suitable for problematic soils
• Diseases: Loose smut, covered smut, rust, leaf spot, powdery mildew. Seed treatment with fungicides (like Vitavax or Bavistin) recommended

Fertilizer Management:

• 60:30:20 NPK kg/ha in irrigated;
• 40:20:20 for rainfed areas
• Zn & Fe application may enhance yield in deficient soils

Harvesting: Done when 90% spikes turn golden-yellow. Moisture content should be 14-16% in grains for storage

Storage: Store in moisture-free bags or bins to avoid fungus and insects

Barley Important One-Liner Questions

• Scientific name → Hordeum vulgare 
• Family → Poaceae (Gramineae)
• Origin → Near East / Ethiopia region 
• Barley is a → C3 crop 
• Pollination → Self-pollinated
• Fruit type → Caryopsis
• Inflorescence → Spike 
• Chromosome number → 2n = 14
• Barley is a → Rabi crop 
• Most tolerant cereal to → Salinity and alkalinity 
• Optimum temperature → 12–15°C for growth
• Suitable soil → Light to medium loam soil
• Can grow in → Poor and marginal soils
• Seed rate → 75–100 kg/ha 
• Spacing → 5 cm row spacing
• Method of sowing → Drilling
• Sowing time → October–November
• Major weed → Phalaris minor
• Herbicide → Isoproturon
• Harvest at → Physiological maturity
• Grain moisture → 20–25%
• Storage moisture → 12%
• Average yield → 25–30 q/ha
• Barley is used for → Malting and brewing industry 
• Most salt tolerant cereal crop
• Used as → Food, feed, and fodder
• Early maturing cereal
• Barley research → ICAR-IIWBR (Karnal)