Legacy

Barley

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Excel' and 'Robust'

Summary: 'Legacy' is a six-row, spring, malting barley variety which has a longer spike than either 'Excel' or 'Robust'. The first segment of the rachis in 'Legacy' is longer than the first rachis segment in the two reference varieties. 'Legacy' has long rachilla hairs, whereas 'Robust' has short rachilla hairs. The lodicules of 'Legacy' are clasping, whereas they are frontal in 'Excel'.

Description:

'Legacy' is a six-row, spring, malting barley variety. At tillering the plants are erect and there is very sparse pubescence on the sheaths of the lower leaves. The flag leaf has weak pubescence on the sheath and medium to strong pubescence on the bade. Glaucosity on the sheath is medium and there is weak anthocyanin colouration of the auricles. There is weak pubescence on the auricle margins.

The spike of 'Legacy' emerges mid-season and is erect, medium in density, weakly glaucous and parallel in shape. The collar is saucer shaped. There is medium anthocyanin colouration in the tips of the lemma awns. The first segment of the rachis is long with weak to medium curvature. The glume and awn of the median spikelet are longer than the length of the grain. The lemma awns are semi-smooth (barbs on one-half to two-thirds of the awn) and are longer than the spike. The kernel of 'Legacy' has a hull and a white aleurone layer. There is no anthocyanin colouration of the nerves of the lemma. The rachilla hair is long. There is medium spiculation of the inner lateral nerves of the dorsal side of the lemma and no hairiness in the ventral furrow. The lodicules are clasping and basal markings are an incomplete horseshoe.

'Legacy' has fair resistance to lodging and shattering and poor to fair tolerance to straw breaking, neck breaking and drought. The variety has good malting quality.

Origin & Breeding History: The pedigree of 'Legacy' is Bumper/Karl//Bumper/Manker/3/Bumper/Karl/4/Excel. The original cross was made in 1989. 'Legacy', which was tested under the experimental designation 6B93-2978 originated in Moorhead, Minnesota as an F4 headrow. It was first tested in replicated yield trials in 1993 at Moorhead and Crookston, Minnesota. The selection was entered in the Mississippi Valley Uniform Regional Barley Nursery in 1996. In 1997 it was entered in the Western Regional Cooperative Trial. In the winter of 1996/1997, headrows were grown in the greenhouse at Fort Collins, Colorado. During the 1997/1998 winter season breeder seed was produced near Yuma, Arizona. Headrows are maintained for breeder seed production.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Legacy' were conducted at Irricana, Alberta during 1998 and 1999. In both years the candidate and reference varieties were grown in a 12 entry by 4 replicate test. Each variety was randomized within each replications 4 times for a total of 16 entries per variety per test. The plots were 3.3 metres in length and 1.25 metres wide. Measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 20 measurements per year.

Comparison tables for 'Legacy' with reference varieties 'Excel' and 'Robust'

Flag leaf length (cm)

Plant height (including spike) (cm)

Spike length (excluding awns) (cm)

Kernel weight (g/1000 seeds)