Food. Forage, and fodder crops - Barley

Food. Forage, and fodder crops - Barley

Barley

Botanical Name: Hordium vulgare

Family: Poaceae (Gramineae)

Common name: Jo

Origin and Evolution

Near-East region is known as place of origin for Barley. Abyssinia is believed as centre of origin for barley by one group and south East Asia (China, Tibet, Nepal) by another group of scientists.

Botanical Characters

The barley plant is approximately one meter in height. The stem of the plant has on average five to seven internodes separated by the nodes. The leaves are linear lanceolate. The leaves are formed of sheath, blade, auricles and ligule. It has two types of root systems. The first is where seedling roots develop to a tillering stage. The second type starts at the tillering stage and then grows deeper crown roots, which anchor the plant in the soil and help absorb water and nutrients.

Cultivation

Barley is tolerant to salinity and alkalinity but sensitive to acidity. Barley is being salt tolerant, best substitute for sodic soil. Drained, fertile deep loam soil with pH 7-8 is favourable for barley. Climate necessary for successful barley cultivation is similar to wheat. It performs well in cool climate. Warm and moist conditions are not conducive for barley growth. It can’t tolerate to frost and frost and hail storm at flowering are more detrimental. Under rainfed, before end of October is optimum for sowing. In irrigated condition, first or second fortnight of November is optimum time of sowing. In Hilly zones barley is sown as summer crop in April-May.

Uses

1. Barley is important next to rice, wheat, maize in area and production.

2. It is more suitable than wheat in India. Due to hardy nature, it can withstand

adverse agro-environments like, drought, salinity, alkalinity, varied topography like plain, hill, under rainfed and irrigated conditions etc.

3. It is a Rabi cereal crop and food for people of cooler and semi-arid part of the world.

4. In India, 90% of barley is used as human food.

5. It is also used for preparation of malt, beer, whisky, industrial alcohol and

vinegar.

6. Energy rich drinks like bournvita, boost, horlicks and biscuit are form by barley malt.

7. Medicinal value of barley reduces cholesterol level in liver and also stimulates fatty acid synthesis in liver.

8. In USA as cattle feed and horse feed.

9. Barley has great demand to malting industry.