Improving malting barley production in eastern Canada, cultivar and germplasm development

This Barley Research Cluster project was funded by Alberta Barley in collaboration with the Atlantic Grains Council, the Brewing and Malting Barley Research Institute, Rahr Malting and the Western Grains Research Foundation via the AgriInnovation Program.

Project lead: Dr. Thin-Meiw Choo, Research Scientist
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Start Date: April 2013

End Date: March 2018

Alberta Barley’s contribution: $16,750
Total funding from other partners: $66,250

Benefits for barley farmers:
Improved malting barley cultivars, once identified, will result in higher premium prices for barley farmers, expansion of local and overseas markets, and greater diversity of craft beers in Eastern Canada.

Summary:
The project aims to improve malting barley production in Eastern Canada through identification of improved malting barley cultivars. Barley breeders with the University of Saskatchewan and Alberta Agriculture, and in Australia and Argentina, have agreed to provide seeds of barley cultivars/advanced breeding lines for testing in Eastern Canada.