Introduction

AAC Prairie is a hulled two-row spring malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivar developed at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Brandon Research and Development Centre, Brandon (AAFC-Brandon), MB. It received registration No. 9473 from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) on 26 November 2021. Plant Breeders’ Rights application No. 20-10399 was posted in the April 2022 edition of the CFIA Plant Variety Journal (CFIA 2022a).

Pedigree and breeding methods

AAC Prairie (TR17255, BM0850-029) is a two-row hulled spring malting barley line developed from the cross CDC Kindersley/TR08204 made in the greenhouse in the fall of 2008 at AAFC-Brandon, MB. CDC Kindersley is a cultivar developed at Crop Development Centre (CDC), University of Saskatchewan (Univ. of Sask.), Saskatoon, SK, from the cross SM00490/BM9674D-64 (CFIA 2022b). The other parent, TR08204, is an advanced breeding line from AAFC-Brandon with the pedigree TR261/TR251. Both these parents, TR261 and TR251, were elite breeding lines developed at AAFC-Brandon. TR261 was developed from the cross TR236/TR231. TR236 was selected for net blotch resistance (Pyrenophora teres Drechs.) from the cross Wpg8419-24-2-1//Oxbow/Manley, where Wpg8419-24-2-1 is a breeding line developed by the AAFC Cereal Research Centre (CRC), Winnipeg, MB, with the pedigree SM80489/CI9214. SM80489 was an advanced breeding line from the CDC, Univ. of Sask. TR231 was developed from the cross Ellice/ND7556. The other parent for TR08204, TR251, was developed from the cross TR229//AC Oxbow/ND7556 where TR229 was from the cross AC Oxbow/Manley. ND7556 is a breeding line with improved spot blotch resistance [Cochliobolus sativus (Ito & Kurib.) Drechs. ex Dastur.] from North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND.

Early generations were handled by a modified bulk method. The F₁ generation was grown as a bulk in the greenhouse, and F₂ as a bulk plot in the field at Brandon in 2009. The F₃ generation was grown as a bulk increase in the 2009–2010 winter nursery at Southern Seeds Technology, Leeston, New Zealand. The F₄ generation was grown as two bulk plots in the field at Brandon in 2010, with 405 spikes being harvested and threshed individually from the population. The harvested seeds from the first 300 spikes were planted as a single F₅ hill plot in the irrigated field leaf disease nursery at Brandon in 2011 where spot blotch (C. sativus) was the predominant disease. Based on spot blotch resistance and agronomic appearance, 162 lines were selected and grown as F₆ progeny rows in the field at Brandon in 2012. Of these, 49 lines were selected on the basis of height, maturity, lodging resistance, general appearance, and field disease reaction with spot blotch being the predominant disease.

The selected F₇ lines, one of which was BM0850-029, were grown as single plots in a preliminary yield test with repeated checks at Brandon in 2013. In addition to the earlier selection criteria, lines were selected based on yield, heading date, kernel plumpness, test weight, kernel weight, kernel brightness (rated visually on 1–5 scale), hull peeling, and preliminary malting quality analyses (i.e., grain protein concentration, alpha amylase activity, diastatic power, fine grind extract, soluble protein concentration, and ratio of soluble to total protein concentration) conducted at the AAFC-Cereal Quality Lab, Winnipeg, MB. They were also evaluated in field disease nurseries for reactions to spot blotch at AAFC-Brandon and CDC, University of Saskatchewan (Melfort and Saskatoon, SK); stem rust (Puccinia graminis Pers.:Pers.) at Brandon and Glenlea; and deoxynivalenol (DON) concentration due to Fusarium graminearum Schwabeby harvesting a row from the Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) nursery at Brandon, grinding a 20 g sample and sending a 1 g subsample to AAFC-Ottawa, ON, for analysis using an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Sinha et al. 1995). BM0850-029 and 10 other sister lines were advanced in 2014 to a replicated preliminary yield test at Brandon but they were lost to flooding. In 2014, disease reactions were evaluated for stem rust at AAFC-Morden and FHB via DON concentration at AAFC-Brandon. Additionally, it was assessed for spot-form net blotch (P. teres f. maculata Smedeg.) at AAFC-Lacombe, AB, and seedling reaction to spot-form net blotch, isolate WRS857; net-form net blotch, isolate WRS858 (P. teres f. teres); and scald, isolate WRS2275 (Rhynchosporium commune, Zaffarano, McDonald & Linde). Due to the flooding, starting with 2015, a new test was implemented, intermediate yield test, grown at two locations. Thus, BM0850-029 and its sister lines were entered in a replicated intermediate yield test grown at Brandon and Lacombe where they were evaluated for the same traits as before plus advanced malting quality analyses (i.e., same traits as for preliminary analyses plus friability and wort viscosity), and reaction to covered smut [Ustilago hordei (Pers.) Lagerh.], false loose smut (U. nigra Tapke.), net-form net blotch and scald in disease nurseries at AAFC-Lacombe. BM0850-029 was grown in a replicated advanced yield test at five locations in western Canada in 2016 (Brandon and Hamiota, MB; Saskatoon and Waldheim, SK; and Lacombe, AB) where it was evaluated for the same traits as in 2015. Malting quality was determined for three locations (Brandon, Hamiota, and Saskatoon—selected based on preliminary assessment for malting suitability of the barley grains) for the same traits as in the previous year plus beta-glucan concentration. Resistance to pre-harvest sprouting was also assessed by determining stirring number with the Rapid ViscoTM Analyser model RVA 4SA (Newport Scientific Pty. Ltd., Warriewood, New South Wales, Australia) using samples from Brandon harvested at the optimum time (physiological maturity, as the head and the peduncle lost their green colour) and later (about 2 weeks later) to induce sprouting, and from Lacombe and Waldheim which were harvested at the normal time.

BM0850-029 was advanced in 2017 as a malting line to the Western Cooperative Two-row Barley Registration Test, where it was evaluated for 2 years as TR17255. TR17255 was also evaluated in the 2018 and 2019 Collaborative Malting Barley Trials conducted at the pilot-scale level by the malting and brewing industry as part of the registration recommending process under the auspices of the Prairie Recommending Committee for Oat and Barley.

Performance

The data collected over 2 years (2017–2018) from sites located in AB (Calmar, Lacombe, Lethbridge, Neapolis, Trochu, and Vulcan), BC (Dawson Creek and Fort St. John), SK (Hanley, Indian Head, Glaslyn, Melfort, Saskatoon, Scott, and Swift Current), and MB (Brandon, Hamiota, and Rosebank) as part of the Western Cooperative Two-row Barley Registration Test ( https://www.pgdc.ca/committees_ob_pd.html) established AAC Prairie’s agronomic performance in western Canada. The malting check cultivars in these trials were CDC Copeland (CFIA 2022c), AC Metcalfe (Legge et al. 2003), and AAC Synergy (Legge et al. 2014) and the feed check cultivars were CDC Austenson (CFIA 2022d) and Champion (CFIA 2022e). An analysis of variance was conducted and the least significant difference derived from these analysis was used to identify significant differences compared to the check cultivars.

AAC Prairie is widely adapted to western Canada, and overall significantly out-yielded the malting check cultivar AC Metcalfe by 6% but was similar to other malting checks (Table 1).

Table 1.

Grain yield (kg ha⁻¹) for AAC Prairie (TR17255) and check cultivars from the Western Cooperative Two-row Barley Registration Test, 2017 and 2018, by soil zone type.

Data for several agronomic traits for AAC Prairie and the checks cultivars are presented in Table 2. AAC Prairie was similar to malting checks in maturity. It was significantly shorter than two of the malting checks, CDC Copeland and AAC Synergy, while its lodging resistance was in the range of the checks. AAC Prairie had significantly higher test weight than the malting check, CDC Copeland. It had significantly higher kernel weight than AC Metcalfe but lower than AAC Synergy. It had similar kernel plumpness to AC Metcalfe and CDC Copeland but lower than AAC Synergy.

Table 2.

Agronomic trait data for AAC Prairie (TR17255) and check cultivars from the Western Cooperative Two-row Barley Registration Test, 2017 and 2018.

During its second year in Western Cooperative Two-row Barley Registration Test, AAC Prairie displayed a desired malting quality profile (Tables 3 and 4). Its most noteworthy features were significantly lower grain protein and wort beta-glucan than AC Metcalfe, significantly higher diastatic power than all malting checks, significantly higher alpha-amylase than CDC Copeland and AAC Synergy, and significantly higher friability than AC Metcalfe.

Table 3.

Malting quality trait data^a for AAC Prairie (TR17255) and check cultivars from the Western Cooperative Two-row Barley Registration Test, 2017 and 2018.^b

Table 4.

Additional malting quality trait data^a for AAC Prairie (TR17255) and check cultivars from the Western Cooperative Two-row Barley Registration Test, 2017 and 2018.^b

During the second year of pilot-scale testing by industry in the Collaborative Malting Barley Trial, a malting profile similar to the above was observed for AAC Prairie as well as a significantly higher fine malt extract than CDC Copeland and AC Metcalfe (Tables 5 and 6). Market development is currently underway for AAC Prairie, with commercial acceptance by the malting and brewing industry to be determined.

Table 5.

Pilot-scale malting quality trait data^a for AAC Prairie (TR17255) and check cultivars, Collaborative Malting Barley Trials, 2018 and 2019.^b

Table 6.

Additional pilot-scale malting quality trait data^a for AAC Prairie (TR17255) and check cultivars, Collaborative Malting Barley Trials, 2018 and 2019.^b

Other characteristics

Plant characteristics were recorded from experimental trials grown, in 2019 and 2021, as randomized complete block design with four replicates at Brandon, MB.

Table 7.

Smut and net blotch reactions for AAC Prairie (TR17255) and check cultivars from the Western Cooperative Two-row Barley Registration Test, 2017 and 2018.

Table 8.

Spot blotch and stem rust disease reactions for AAC Prairie (TR17255) and check cultivars from the Western Cooperative Two-row Barley Registration Test, 2017 and 2018.

Table 9.

Scald and fusarium head blight disease reactions for AAC Prairie (TR17255) and check cultivars from the Western Cooperative Two-row Barley Registration Test, 2017 and 2018.

Maintenance of pedigreed seed stocks

Breeder seed will be maintained by the AAFC Seed Increase Unit, Research Farm—Indian Head, Box 760, 1 Government Road, Indian Head, SK, Canada S0G 2K0 (AAFC-SIU). Initial breeder seed was produced in 2019 by the AAFC SIU from a bulk of 191 lines derived from F₁₃ single plant selections originally made at AAFC-Brandon in 2018 from a seed increase grown from the same seed increase used for evaluation of AAC Prairie in the Western Cooperative Two-row Barley Registration Test. Distribution and multiplication of other classes of pedigreed seed will be handled by Canterra Seeds, 201–1475 Chevrier Boulevard, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 1Y7.