Malting barley the best varieties

Barley belongs to the family - Cereals. Can be annual, biennial, or perennial, depending on the variety. Grown for food, technical and feed purposes since ancient times. This culture is one of the oldest, if not the oldest cultivated by man. Barley varieties have different quality characteristics, planting dates, and yields. Below will be a description of the most common varieties and characteristics of the grain.

What are the features of spring and winter varieties?

Barley is spring and winter, in addition to planting dates, each species has its own quality features that you should know about before planting a crop.

Recently, winter barley has been in unprecedented demand, since it yields a little earlier than the spring barley. This allows you to quickly fill the vacated area with another crop and multiply the yield. In addition, he is less likely to suffer from fuses. Among the disadvantages is low frost resistance. Severe frosts can completely destroy the crop, so gardeners come up with various methods to protect crops in the winter.

Scheme of using biological products

Spring barley is an important crop. It is he who is mainly used to obtain barley and barley porridge. It contains a lot of protein and fiber, which is why it is recommended for consumption and cultivation. It belongs to early crops, therefore, it is sown on time, otherwise you can lose a significant part of the crop. Resists pests well.

In addition, barley is multi-row (ordinary), two-row and intermediate. In most regions of the world, it is common and two-row barley that is cultivated. These subspecies are fertile and are of high quality.

What varieties of spring barley are there?

There are over 70 varieties of spring barley grown in different climatic zones.

• "Viscount" ripens in 73-127 days, depending on the climate. It has an even and hollow stem, the weight of one grain is 0.042-0.054 g, the amount of protein is 11-13%. It belongs to the fodder subspecies, it is started up for the manufacture of compound feed, mixtures for livestock. However, under favorable conditions, it can produce high-quality grain, suitable, for example, for brewing. Potential yield 70 kg / ha.
• "Vakula" resistant to changes in location and climate. Grain weight - 0.046-0.052 g. With frequent rains and watering, it can increase to 0.060 g. There is little protein in the composition, low filminess. Productivity 50-90 kg / ha. It is not recommended to thicken the crops - this will reduce the yield.

  Spring barley varieties

• "Helios" with abundant and timely watering, it gives a good, high-quality harvest. The growing season is 90-93 days. The mass of the obtained grain is 0.048-0.050 g. Productivity is 89 c / ha.
• "Duncan" a variety of barley of Canadian selection. It has a strong, vigorous stem, resistant to bedding and over-growing. Grain weight 0.049g on average. Productivity - 80 kg / ha. The seeding rate is 2-2.2 million seeds per hectare. Thickening is not recommended.
• "Priazovsky 9" - one of the best varieties of spring barley. Differs in resistance to drought, powdery mildew, pests, dwarf rust. Ripens in 80-82 days. The stem is dense, even, does not run. The yield is small - 42-63 kg / ha, but it fully pays off with the quality of the product obtained. The mass of each grain is 0.045-0.055 g.

The same category includes: Krasnoufimsky, Donetsk 4, Lofant, Zeus, Margaret, Omsk 89, Povolzhsky 65, Marni, Adapt.

Winter varieties of barley

The optimal time for planting a winter species is September, but depending on the variety of barley and the region, the timing can vary significantly. In terms of soil or sowing site, it is not picky, serious, expensive, high-quality mixtures are necessary only in the case of cultivating large fields, and not small garden plantations.

• "Worthy" has a yield within 60 c / ha, maximum harvests reached 96.3 c / ha. The growing season is 266-273 days. It grows a little less than a meter, about 83-86 cm. The weight of a grain is 0.043 g, it contains up to 61% starch and up to 12.6% protein. Average winter hardiness, there is resistance to drought and shedding.

  Winter varieties of barley

• Selena Star grows up to 98 cm in height, ripens in 277-284 days. Grain weight - 0.045-0.047 g, protein content 10.9-11.9%. The maximum yield is 77.8 c / ha. This barley variety not afraid of brown rust, resistant to lodging and shedding, average winter hardiness.
• Borisfen grows up to a meter in height. The weight of one grain is 0.042-0.043 g with a protein content of 11-12.5%. Ripens in 280-288 days. There is resistance to lodging, drought and shedding. Productivity 60-87 kg / ha.
• "Worker" has an average yield of 59-60 c / ha. The weight of one grain is 0.043-0.044 g with 59% starch and 11.8% crude protein. Ripens in 279-288 days, plant height - 91-98 cm, sprouts are almost even.

This list also includes: "Diet", "Fantast", "Aboriginal", "Cinderella", "Kovcheg", "Morozko".

What varieties are used for brewing?

There is a certain category of barley that is used primarily for making beer. It is important to note that for homemade preparations, and not only in large industries, it is recommended to grow barley on your own, and not buy ready-made. This allows you to get a healthy, complete, nutritious cereal, and be sure that the type is exactly what was required.

The varieties of barley for brewing beer are quite varied. Of the most common in the world, it is worth mentioning: Gladis, Avalon, Consita, Philadelphia, Ronnie, Quench, Scarlett, Kangu, Marnie, Corserto, Jay bi Flave "," Sishine ".

It takes an average of 10 years to get a new variety of malting barley, while the usual varieties of this culture are born after 5-7 years of research. In the world selection, there are several hundred names of malting barley, but each of these plants produces a crop only in a specific area. So six or two-row winter varieties are most often grown by European farmers, but in our country the preference is given to spring crops.

Malting barley is a demanding plant. Throughout the growing season, the farmer must fulfill a number of conditions to achieve the required amount of protein in the grain. Here you need to correctly fertilize, harvest when the grain is fully ripe, and also try not to mix varieties during transportation and storage. Below is a description of several varieties of malting barley.

Gladis

This new variety was entered in the state register in 2010. The culture is resistant to lodging and stem fragility, well resists major diseases, especially powdery mildew. Barley grain Gladis is considered one of the highest quality raw materials for the production of beer malt.

Scarlet

The Scarlet barley variety is zoned for cultivation in the Central black earth and central regions of our country. The plant has a short growing season within 70-90 days. The culture has a cylindrical loose ear of low density. The maximum yield of Scarlet is 6.5 tons per hectare, the average is 5 tons per hectare, the weight of 1000 seeds is 40 grams. The variety has average disease resistance.

Annabelle

The variety in question was obtained by German breeders. The plant has a two-row spike, which is parallel to the stem. The density and length of the spikelet are average, as are the awns. The grain is large enough and yellow in color. The growing season of the Annabelle variety is three months. The yield of this barley is 4-5 tons per hectare. The plant is weakly affected by diseases, resistant to some types of pests.

Donetsk 8

The variety was bred by Ukrainian breeders at the Donetsk experimental station. The ear of the culture is two-row, loose, straw yellow in color. The awns are large with a smooth surface. Seeds are large, yellow. Despite the significant height of the plants, the stem can withstand the load, therefore, the lodging of Donetsk barley is almost not observed. The vegetation period of the plant is 80-90 days, the yield is up to 45 centners per hectare.

Consita

The variety is recommended for cultivation in the central part of Russia. The bush of the plant is of an intermediate type, the leaves do not have pubescence. The ear of a cylindrical culture is medium in density, has an average degree of waxy bloom. The awns are serrated, rather long. The grains are large, the weight of 1000 pieces is 45-55 grams. The average yield of the Konsita variety is 4.1 tons per hectare, maximum 8.8 tons. In terms of ripening, this is a mid-season plant, because its growing season does not exceed 3 months. The variety in question is resistant to lodging and drought, but can be affected by root rot, head smut and helminthosporiosis.

Suitability of barley for brewing determined by a number of signs indicating its quality.

First, barley is assessed by external signs - color, odor and pest infestation. Then the chemical composition of the accepted barley is checked - moisture, protein content, extract, etc.

Malting barley must have technological (malt) properties - it can be easily processed into malt, give a high beer yield per unit of raw material, and ensure good quality of the finished beer.

Colour. The barley should be light yellow or yellow, uniform in color from the base to the tip of the grain. The greenish color of the shell indicates the immature barley. Such single grains can be found in ordinary barley, they belong to the grain impurity. Dark yellow kernels with black or brown tips and spots have been stained during harvesting or storage and may become germinated or contaminated with microorganisms and produce poor quality malt.

Smell. The smell of barley should be fresh, reminiscent of the smell of straw, without shades of musty and musty odor. The mustiness of barley, which has good germination, disappears when the grain is soaked, if it is treated with a solution of bleach or permanganate (KMi04). Sometimes barley with an unclean smell loses it during drying, but such grain is additionally checked for germination, which it may lose during drying.

To determine the smell, the grain is taken in the hand and warmed, after which it is lightly rubbed between the palms.

Form. The grain shape is a varietal trait. Almost all malting barley varieties have an elliptical or oval grain shape with rounded lateral edges. In unfavorable weather conditions, the grains will be elongated.

Purity. It is characterized by the absence of impurities of other cereals, weed seeds, damaged grains and pests (mites, weevils).

Nature. Although it characterizes the properties of barley, it does not play a significant role in assessing the quality of grain.

The mass of 1000 grains (absolute weight) is an additional indicator characterizing the quality of the grain.

Energy and germination ability. These are the most important indicators characterizing the suitability and maturity of barley for malting. Poor germination reduces malt extractability and promotes the development of mold on non-germinated grains.

Barley moisture. The moisture content in barley should be 10-15.5%.Dryer grain can lose its germination, while more humid grain gets hot during storage, grows moldy, breathes more vigorously, which leads to an increase in the loss of extractive substances.

Protein content. Barley with a protein content of more than 12% is difficult to process because it is heated by malting and contains a small amount of extractives. It is also undesirable to use barley containing less than 9% protein, as they produce a beer with a weak foam.

Extractivity. The extract or extract of barley is the sum of all substances that pass into solution when milled barley is treated with malt enzymes (expressed as a percentage of the weight of barley). The extract of good barley is 78-82% on absolutely dry matter, the difference between the extract of barley and the malt obtained from it should be no more than 1.5%. The amount of barley extract depends mainly on the starch content in it. Basic requirements for malting barley during procurement and delivery in accordance with GOST 5060-67 "Barley for brewing" are indicated in table. 4.

Table 4

Quality indicators	Class norms
Smell	Typical of normal barley grain without musty, malty and other off-odors
State	Unheated, healthy
Humidity,%, no more
Impurity content,%, no more weed
including harmful		0.2
trichodesma incanum and heliotrope pubescent "	Not allowed
grain
Coarseness, the remainder of the grain in the exit from the sieve with holes of 2.5 x X 20 mm,%, not less
Fine grain content - passage through a sieve with holes measuring 2.2 × 20 mm,%, no more
Germination ability on the fifth day,%, not less
Pest infestation	Not allowed, except for infection of the 1st degree by a tick

Spring barley is an important food, fodder and industrial grain crop. This article will consider the main characteristics of this culture, as well as the features of its cultivation.

Economic value

Groats (pearl barley and barley) and flour are made from spring barley grain. In its pure form, barley flour is not used; it, in an amount of 20-25%, is mixed with rye or wheat flour. Barley is also used for fattening pigs, and in areas where oats are not cultivated - for feeding horses. In addition, this culture is a raw material for the production of alcohol and beer. The barley seed contains: nitrogen-free extractives - 64.6%, protein - 12%, fiber - 5.5%, water - 13%, fat - 2.1% and 2.8% ash.

Origin of culture

Barley is one of the most ancient agricultural crops. As the excavations show, it, together with wheat, was known to people in the Stone Age. The Egyptians cultivated barley 50 centuries BC. In Greece, Italy and China, it has been cultivated since prehistoric times. According to the materials of the excavations, in the territory of Central Asia, barley was grown under irrigated agriculture for 4-5 thousand years BC. On the territory of Moldova and Ukraine, it began to be cultivated in the 3rd millennium BC. Today the cultivation of spring barley is practiced all over the world.

Botanical description

The genus Hordeum L consists of three cultivated and many wild barley species. Cultivated barley is classified by the number of fertile spikelets that are located on the segment of the stem. Consider these types:

• Hordeum vulgare. This type is called multi-row or ordinary. On each segment of the rod, it has three fertile spikelets that give grain. Depending on the degree of ear density, common barley is subdivided into two subspecies: regular 6-row (dense and thick ear, relatively short, in cross-section resembles a regular hexagon) and irregular 6-row (less dense ear, rows with grains are located incorrectly, lateral spikelets can go behind each other and lag behind the average in development; in cross section, the spike forms a quadrangular figure).
• Hordeum distichon. This is a two-rowed barley, on the segment of the rod of which three spikelets sit (middle fertile, and the lateral ones are sterile). By the nature of the lateral spikelets, two-row barley is subdivided into two subspecies. In the first subspecies, flower and spikelet scales are located on the lateral sterile spikelets, and in the second, only spikelets.
• Hordeum intermedium. It is an intermediate barley. On the ledge of the spikelet, 1-3 grains can develop.

In our latitudes, only multi-row and two-row barley has become widespread. The first is usually more early maturing and drought-resistant. Multi-row and two-row barley is subdivided into many varieties. The classification can be based on such characteristics as the spinousness, the character of the awns, the color of the spike and caryopsis, the hulliness of the grain and the density of the spike.

Biological features

Spring barley adapts well to different soil and climatic conditions.

Temperature. Barley seeds begin to germinate at temperatures of 1 degree or more. In this case, the optimal indicator of the germination temperature is 20-22 degrees. Seedlings of this culture can withstand frosts up to 8 degrees below zero. The plant becomes especially sensitive to frost during the period of flowering and ripening. During the filling period, the germ of the weevil can suffer even from 1.5-3 degrees of frost. Grain exposed to extreme frost can completely lose its germination. Cold resistance differs depending on the type of barley. The varieties of the polar regions have the greatest resistance.

Barley tolerates high temperatures during grain loading better than oats and wheat. According to the research of V.R. Zelensky, at a temperature of 38-40 degrees, the stomata of the leaves of this culture lose their ability to close after 25-30 hours. For spring wheat, this figure is from 10 to 17 hours. The increased resistance of barley to high temperatures is due to its early maturity and the ability to intensively feed in the early stages of growth.

Humidity. In terms of drought resistance, spring barley is one of the leaders among the 1st group grain. Its transpiration coefficient is in the order of 400. In arid regions, barley yields are often higher than wheat yields.

Resistance to air and soil drought can vary by cultivar. Barley is most susceptible to a lack of moisture during the tube exit phase. If during this period the soil contains an insufficient amount of water, the spike will not be able to develop properly, and the number of sterile spikelets in it will increase.

The soil. As already mentioned, spring barley is successfully cultivated in different soil and climatic zones, which illustrates its adaptability to different types of soils. In terms of responsiveness to soil fertility, barley resembles wheat rather than oats. Structural fertile soils with a deep plowing horizon are most acceptable for it. On sandy and sandy loam soils, this grain crop develops poorly. Acid peat and saline soils are also unfavorable for barley. It grows well in soils with a pH of 6.8 to 7.5.

Vegetation. Depending on the variety, growing area and climatic conditions, the growing season of spring barley can range from 60 to 110 days.

Varieties

Today there are a lot of varieties of spring barley. We will consider a few popular ones in order to get a general idea of ​​the issue.

Viscount. The variety was created by the method of intraspecific hybridization. It has an erect shrub with a hollow stem of medium thickness. The grain weight is 0.042-0.054 grams. The growing season ranges from 73 to 127 days depending on the region. The variety is considered a grain feed variety, however, under favorable conditions it can produce grain suitable for brewing. An average grain contains 11 to 13% protein. Filminess does not exceed 10%. Extractivity is 77.8-80.1%.

The variety is resistant to diseases and changing soil and climatic conditions. Its potential yield reaches 70 centners per hectare. Sowing of this variety is carried out at the first opportunity to enter the field. About 4.5-5 million seeds are sown per hectare. If sowing is late, and spring promises to be dry, then this figure is increased by 1 million.

Vakula. The variety is characterized by increased adaptability to changes in growing conditions. It has a reduced photoperiodic sensitivity, which ensures a good harvest, regardless of the time of arrival of spring and the specifics of a particular latitude. The grain weight can vary from 0.046 to 0.052 g. With abundant moisture supply, the weight reaches 0.060 g. The variety has a high vigor of grain growth, low filminess and low protein content. The latter feature allows us to attribute it to brewing. The seeding rate can range from 2 to 3 million seeds per hectare. Thickened crops in dry conditions do not produce large, high quality seeds. The yield of the Vakula variety can range from 50 to 90 centners per hectare of land.

Helios. Barley of this variety is similar in its characteristics to the Vakula variety. However, in comparison with it, it has a higher grain quality. It bushes better and gives a higher yield in conditions of good moisture supply. The variety is intended for intensive cultivation with reduced seeding rates. The grain weight can be from 0.048 to 0.050 grams. The growing season fluctuates in a very narrow range - 90-93 days. The seeding rate is 3.7-4.16 million seeds per hectare. The yield of such barley can reach 89 kg / ha.

Duncan. Spring barley of this variety was bred in Canada and spread throughout the world thanks to its excellent yield, germination and germination energy. Due to its strong stem, this variety is resistant to overmaking and lodging. The average weight of one grain is 0.049 g. The yield of the variety reaches 80 centners per hectare. And this despite the fact that it has a very low seeding rate - 2-2.2 million seeds per hectare. The latter indicator is due to the fact that in a thickened state, the culture does not develop well.

Priazovsky 9. Sowing barley of this variety is included in the list of valuable varieties of the Russian Federation. It is distinguished by its high drought resistance and good plasticity. The growing season of such barley is 80-82 days. Its straw has high strength and lodging resistance. The variety is resistant to the influence of powdery mildew, dwarf rust and all kinds of pests. It is best suited for cultivation in the Central Black Earth, North Caucasus and Middle Volga regions of the Russian Federation. The yield of this type of barley is 42-63 centners per hectare. The mass of one grain can fluctuate between 0.045-0.055 grams.

Mameluke. This variety has a high photoperiodic sensitivity, due to which it develops rapidly in the early stages of growth. The lodging resistance of this variety is not as high as that of the previous one; nevertheless, it is included in the list of valuable varieties of the Russian Federation. Most of the grain is used for fodder, but processing for cereals is also common. The variety has an average resistance to drought and, subject to agricultural technology, is practically not affected by diseases. The most popular Mamluk is in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories of the Russian Federation. The yield of the variety can reach 68 centners per hectare. The productivity of spring barley and the yield the higher, the earlier it is sown. The seeding rate ranges from 4.5 to 5 million grains per hectare. If the sowing dates for spring barley are not met, it should be increased by a million.

Place in the crop rotation

The best precursors for spring barley are row crops such as potatoes, corn and sugar beets. A good option is also winter crops, which go on a pure fertilized fallow.Barley is also sown after spring wheat, if it is placed over pure fallow or over a layer of perennial grasses. Barley sown on row crops is especially suitable for brewing. It gives a high yield and quality grain, which is rich in starch.

For food purposes or for fodder for livestock, barley is also sown after legumes, which accumulate nitrogen in the soil. In beet-growing areas, it is often sown in place of beets. According to research data, the highest yield of barley is observed when it is preceded (in descending order) by: potatoes, corn, flax and beets, spring wheat, barley.

Since barley is an early ripening crop, it is considered a good predecessor for spring crops, and in some regions also for winter crops. Harvesting early, it is also valued as a cover crop and outperforms other spring grain crops.

Fertilizers

Spring barley responds well to fertilization. The formation of 100 kilograms of grain requires up to 2.5-3 kg of nitrogen, 2-2.4 kg of potassium and 1.1-1.2 kg of phosphorus. In the initial phases of development, the crop consumes a small amount of fertilizer. During the "emergence-tillering" period, it consumes about half of phosphorus, half of nitrogen and three quarters of potassium from the total mass of fertilizers used during the growing season.

The application of manure directly under the barley is practiced in the northern regions, where it is the main grain crop. In other regions, its ability to benefit from the effects of manure is used - it is sown with a second crop.

Fertilizers for spring barley, such as phosphorus and potassium, are applied under cold plowing. It is better to apply nitrogen when feeding under pre-sowing cultivation. Potassium and phosphorus improve the brewing quality of the culture. The best result, especially in the western regions of cultivation, barley gives when feeding with full mineral fertilizers.

The proportion of a particular fertilizer component may depend on the type of soil on which the crop is cultivated. On podzolic gray and degrading black soils, as well as in the zone of chestnut soils, barley strongly responds to phosphorus and nitrogen fertilizers. On drained marshy soils, potassium gives the best results. On normal chernozems, the greatest effect can be achieved with the use of phosphorus-potassium complexes.

The fertilizer dose, as well as its type, depends on the characteristics of the soil, the planned yield and the utilization rate of nutrients. For normal crop growth, in addition to the listed fertilizers, it is also necessary to use a number of micronutrients, which are based on: boron, manganese, zinc, copper, molybdenum, and so on. A lack of trace elements in the soil can lead to plant diseases, metabolic disorders and a significant decrease in yield.

On drained peat soils, copper sulfate and pyrite cinder are applied as fertilizers. It should be noted that the consequences of the use of copper fertilizers affect the harvest only after a few years.

Tillage

The culture grows favorably in fields with deep autumn plowing. The plowing depth can reach up to 30 cm. On sod-podzolic soils, a special effect can be achieved by deepening the arable layer with the simultaneous introduction of manure and mineral fertilizers. Snow and melt water in areas intended for sowing spring barley are retained in the same way as in areas for spring wheat. Spring tillage can include harrowing or trailing and cultivation with simultaneous harrowing.

Now let's look at the cultivation of spring barley in stages.

Seed preparation

Large barley seeds are used for sowing. They have high germination vigor, heap shoots and grow well. To increase the yield, the seeds are treated with the method of air-thermal heating.They are also pickled from major diseases and pests by dry or semi-dry method.

Sowing calendar

Spring barley is a cereal crop with an early sowing date. If the planting is delayed by a week, the yield may decrease by 10-40%, depending on the region. When sown early, barley produces large grains with a minimum film content and resistant shoots.

As a rule, spring barley is sown along with or after spring wheat. In Siberia and northern Kazakhstan, the sowing calendar for barley starts from May 15-25, depending on the year. In the Crimea, the Kuban and Central Asia, the February crops are practiced. Thus, the timing of sowing spring barley can be radically different and depend on the specifics of the region.

Sowing method

Cross-row and narrow-row sowing of spring barley is most effective. As practice shows, these methods, in comparison with conventional drill sowing, give about 15% more yield.

Seeding rates

Seeding rates depend on the area where the barley is grown. For example, in the Far East they range from 1.6 to 2 centners per hectare (about 4.5 million viable seeds), and in the North Caucasus - 1.3-1.6 centners per hectare (about 3.5-4, 5 million seeds). Thus, the seeding rates can fluctuate in a fairly wide range, depending on the agrotechnical and soil conditions of the region. In thickened crops, the protein content in the grains is reduced. This should be taken into account if the culture is grown for brewing.

Sowing depth

On clayey heavy soils, seeds are sown to a depth of no more than 4 cm, and on light sandy loam soils - no more than 6 cm.In conditions of a lack of atmospheric precipitation, the sowing depth can increase up to 8 cm.The sown seeds swell slowly, so they must be embedded in a moist layer of earth ...

Crop care

In order for the seedlings to be friendly, in arid regions, post-sowing rolling is carried out simultaneously with light harrowing. In humid areas, sprout harrowing is used. These measures allow you to kill weeds, loosen the soil and increase oxygen access to the roots. If, after a heavy rain, a crust has formed on the ground, and the seedlings have not yet appeared, it is destroyed with harrows.

Harvest

Barley ripens together. With the onset of ripeness, the ear becomes brittle, and the grain easily crumbles. Two-phase harvesting begins approximately from the middle of wax ripeness, and one-phase harvesting - at full ripeness, in an accelerated mode.

Malting barley: features

Special requirements are imposed on the characteristics of spring barley used in brewing. Two-row barley varieties are best suited for brewing and produce large, even and evenly sprouting grains. Grain for brewing should be large (weight about 0.040-0.050 g) and thin-film, have a straw-yellow color, contain at least 78% starch and have a high germination energy (at least 95%).

Previously, it was believed that only the grain of barley is suitable for brewing beer, the protein content of which is minimal. However, later it was found that everything here depends not on the amount of proteins, but on their quality. According to research, the best results can be achieved when using barley containing high molecular weight proteins (globulins and prolamins), which are practically insoluble in water. Non-protein nitrogen, as well as nitrogen of albumin, have a negative effect on beer production. The most valuable predecessors for such barley are winter crops, corn, potatoes, beets and flax.

In the cultivation of barley for the brewing industry, the best results are achieved with early planting. This allows a high yield of leveled, large grains with a high starch content and reduced hulliness to be obtained.

In the cultivation of such grain, the most productive sowing methods are also narrow-row and cross-row.Post-sowing packing has a positive effect on the quality of the crop. And with the formation of a crust or strong compaction of the soil, harrowing is used. Thanks to these techniques, the stalk is uniform, and the grain is leveled. In the crops of malting barley, it is not advisable to resort to fitting, since in this case the grain may turn out to be finer and with reduced characteristics.

The quality of malting barley is greatly influenced by the method and timing of harvesting. The highest efficiency is shown by single-phase harvesting, carried out during the period of full ripeness, when the moisture content of the grain is no more than 22%. However, in the southern regions, two-phase cleaning is often used. If the barley has stood, the amount of starch in the grain drops, as increased respiration begins. Low air temperature and excessive moisture during the period of full ripeness can adversely affect the quality of seeds in late harvesting periods. After threshing, the grain is carefully sorted and dried, which allows it to preserve its light color and ensure high germination energy.