Varietal Difference in the Thickness of Husk in Malting Barley

Abstract

The objective of this study was to clarify varietal difference in the thickness of husk in malting barley and to compare the thickness of husk of normal kernel with that of husk-underdeveloped kernel of which caryopsis was exposed though lemma and palea. The thickness of husk ranged from 3.3×10^-2 mm to 4.5×10^-2 mm among the five cultivars tested. The thickness of husk of cvs. Nirasaki Nijo and Nishino Gold (3.4∼3.6×10^-2 mm), which had high content of malt extract (83.2%∼83.8%) and more volume of wrinkles on husk, was less than those of cvs. Amagi Nijo and Kinuyutaka (4.3∼4.5×10^-2 mm), which had low content of malt extract (81.3%∼81.9%) and less volume of wrinkles on husk. The weight and content husk of cvs. Nirasaki Nijo and Nishino Gold were 1.93 g per 1000 kernels and 6.1%, respectively, and those of cvs. Amagi Nijo and Kinuyutaka were 2.57∼2.65 g per 1000 kernels and 7.8∼7.9%, respectively. There was not difference in the thickness of husk between normal kernel and husk-underdeveloped kernel.