Improvement of the homogeneity of the barley variety balder

Summary

For the improvement of the purity of the Swedish barley variety Balder, a selection within this variety was started at the Plant Breeding Station of the “Centraal Bureau” at Hoofddorp in 1949.

During the period 1950–1954 it appeared that a large number of types occurred which differed more or less distinctly from each other. The differences concerned inclination and colour of the leaves, length of straw, date of heading, stiffness of straw, length and inclination of the ear, earliness, yield capacity, grain- and malting quality.

Of about 5,000 lines (progenies of selected ears) of 1950, only one, Balder 50.4 was chosen ultimately in 1954. Already in 1954 the breeder's seed of Balder was obtained by multiplication of selection 50.4.

The purpose of the selection, described in this paper, viz. to give the barley variety Balder a sufficient approximation of a pure line, can be considered as being achieved. Certainly there is no indication that a decrease in yield capacity and malting quality occurred.

Moreover, in comparison with the original variety Balder, selection 50.4 has distinctly stiffer and somewhat shorter straw, and a little earlier maturity. The attitude of the ear approximates more that of the erectum-type.