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Introductiion

Barley

Botanical Name :     Hordeum vulgare
Family :     Poaceae
Centre of Origin :     Asia and Ethiopia

Introduction:


Barley is an important cereal crop of India, which play a major role in the barley producing countries. Ranking of barley is next to the maize, wheat and rice both in average and in production of grain. In India the major states growing barley are U.P., Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, M.P., H.P., Bihar, Uttaranchal, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir. It is also grown in small pockets in other states like Chhatisgarh, W.B., Nagaland, Maharashtra, Sikkim and Delhi.

Importance and uses:


The social and economic situations of Sikkim have accorded great importance to the barley crop. A major share of barley grain is used as animal feed either alone or in combination and also consumed as a food by poor classes as pure flour or mixed with wheat or gram flour for making chapattis. Barley chapattis is highly palatable and digestible as compared to the wheat. It can be digested easily even by the person like suffering from stomach ailments because it does not contain gluten. A limited portion of barley is consumed as parched grain to make sattu. As a fodder crop, barley has tremendous potential and variation for production of very high amount of digestible dry matter as well as protein yield/ha. Hull – less barley grain is preferred for chapatti making as well as lugri, a fermented drink, in the northern hills whereas hulled type are used by the malting industries because of specific requirement during grain germination. It is the basic raw material for its conversion into malt for brewing into liquor in Sikkim. Barley malt has wider application in the field of food, beverages, and distilleries pharmaceuticals. It is also used as a raw material for malted food like Bourn vita, Horlicks, Protein based feed product, Biscuit, Chocolates, Beer, Whisky, Brandy, Industrial alcohol and Vinegar. By - product of brewing and distilling industries known as brewers and distillers grain is useful as cattle feed. Bold and plump seeded barley varieties are suitable for manufacture of pearl barley and powder product like champa which forms the diet of the sick and convalescent people due to its demulcent properties and hence used in the dietary scheme which is diuretic and is given to persons suffering from kidney disorder. Barley is also taken the whole grain as rice after dehusking properly.

Nutritive Value:


Barley is very nutritious and a rich source of Vitamin ‘B’ complex and Protein in terms of Superior Quality as compared to the corn and beans. The composition of barley grain is as follows:

Sl. No.     Nutrients     Amount
1     Moisture     12.5 (%)
2     Protein     11.5 (%)
3     Fat     01.3 (%)
4     Fibre     01.2 (%)
5     Minerals     03.9 (%)
6     Carbohydrates     69.6 (%)
7     Calcium     26 mg
8     Phosphorus     215 mg
9     Iron     03 mg
10     Vitamin ‘C’     05 mg
11     Vitamin ‘B’ complex     Little amount
12     Calorific value     336


History and origin:


Barley is believed to be originated from Asia and Ethiopia. Its Sanskrit name ‘Yav’ is mentioned in ‘Ved’ and use of barley in religious ceremonies has been described, which shows that barley was grown in India since ancient time.

Evolution:


The cultivated species of barley i.e. H. Vulgare may have evolved from H. agriocrithon, a 6 – row barley with a brittle rachis found in eastern Tibet or probably from H. spontaneum, a2 – row type barley.

Adaptation:


Barley is a crop of minor importance in South of 200N latitude, although it can be grown successfully where wheat is grown. It is also only cereal whose cultivation extends to northern latitude at 700N. Barley is grown chiefly in the northern plains and hills but over the years its cultivation to some extent has extended to non-traditional peninsular region of Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat. Its cultivation extends up to an elevation of 4575 m (15000 ft.) in the cool arid regions of Himalayas. Its adaptation to coastal saline areas of W.B., which traditionally grew one crop of Paddy, has been well established. It is a hardy crop and is quite suitable for rain fed drought prone areas and sodic condition.

Area and Distribution:


Barley is a minor rabi cereal crop of Sikkim grown only in small pockets over an area of about 1.15 thousand hectare. The production of barley is subjected by systematic implementation of Agronomic Practices as well as crop improvement work including introduction and Acclimatization of high yielding varieties. The district wise area of Barley cultivation and their production are given below in the table:-

Sl. No.     Districts     Area (000’ ha)     Production (000’ Tonnes)     Yield/ha (kg)
1                  North           0.14                                   0.12                           857.14
2                   East           0.42                                    0.45                          1071.43
3                  South           0.20                                   0.20                          1000.00
4                  West             0.39                                  0.50                          1282.05




Classification of Barley:


Fertility of the lateral spikelets means number of row of grain and their arrangements in the ear head forms the basis of barley classification. The cultivated barley is classified into following groups:-

Hordeum vulgare: It is 6- Row barley which is widely grown and is most important species. In this species all 3 spikelets at each node of the spike are fertile. These are dense and lax forms, depending upon the length of the rachis internodes. It is grown only at higher altitude, where barley is used as a major article of food.
Hordeum distichum: It is a 2 – Row type of Barley and only the medium spikelet are fertile, although the lateral spikelet are infertile, they passes all the floral organ. It is preferred for malting because of their bold, plump grain, uniform germination, higher malt extract and other desirable traits.
Hordeum irregulare: This is irregular barley with tough rachis. Their central florets are fertile whereas the lateral florets are reduced to rachilla in some cases and these are distributed irregularly on the spike. The remainders of the lateral florets are either fertile, sterile or sex less.
Crop improvement work: In early days barley was believed to be grown on saline – Alkaline land or land with no irrigation facilities having marginal soil fertility. The grain yield used to be very poor due to following reasons:-

    i. The old variety had very poor response to management practices and where grown under slightly enriched condition they cause severe lodging which is a serious problem as they ultimately reduce the grain yield.

ii. The variety had high susceptibility to disease like Smut, Yellow Rust, Foliar disease, Foot and Root Rot, Molya disease and Pest like Nematodes, Termites, Aphids etc. These problems cause a high instability in production.

iii. It was regarded as second thought crop and was not given due care.

iv. Lack of Dwarf and input responsive variety.

v. Lack of scientific production technology.

All the varieties recommended for cultivation upto this time possessed restricted adaptation. Systematic work on the identification of varieties with wide adaptation on national level was initiated in 1964 with the organization of ‘All India Co-ordinated Barley Improvement Project” in 1967 which tackle various production oriented problems on a multi – disciplinary basis. Rapid progress has since been made in the development and release or pre-release of several varieties which are an improvement upon the existing ones for yield potential, disease and pest resistant.

So, with a view to supplement the efforts of the State Department of Agriculture in increasing the production and productivity of barley, the ministry of Agriculture, Govt. of India have been implementing following programmes:-

1. Barley minikit demonstration programme:
It is a central sector scheme under which 100% Govt. of India Assistance is being provided. This scheme has following component:-

A. Minikit Demonstration: Under this programme, minikit of 5 kg each of certified barley seeds for varieties notified during last 3 years for normal condition and 5 years for problematic areas are included. Besides this, test stock seed of varieties indentified in the last 2 years.

B. State Level Training Programme: This training was organized with a view to train the extension officers of the State Department of Agriculture.

C. Special orientation programme: This training was specially meant for subject matter specialists of State Department of Agriculture.

D. National workshop/seminar on Barley.

2. Barley Front Line Demonstration Programme:
This programme is a direct funded component macro-management of Agriculture Scheme, presently implemented by different states.

The front line demonstration on barley are being organized through ICAR research system to demonstrate such as zero Till Seed Drills, seed-cum-Ferti Drills and Raised bed planters, control of weed through mechanical, cultural and chemical measures and to demonstrate other latest improved method of cultivation. This programme is still in operation and would continue the xth plan period.

Botanical Description:
Like other cereals barley also belongs to grass family i.e. Graminae and hag all the vegetative characters like wheat except that the auricles of leaf are conspicuous and very much pronounced which clasp and culm. The leaf blade is hairy or slightly serrated having light green colour compared to wheat. The Barley roots spread up to of 15 -30 cm and penetrate up to a depth of about 90 – 150 cm which helps in inducing drought and salinity resistance in plants.

The inflorescence is a spike with 3 spikelets borne at each rachis node and every spikelet contains a single floret. Spikelet may be owned or breaded, awnless or hooded as the case may be because all the 3 types are under cultivation. Spike has a zigzag rachis possessing 10-30 nodes. The florets are self fertilized as pollination occurs while the head is in boot stage.

Barley grain is a caryopsis measuring about 8-12 mm long, 3-4 mm wide and 2-3 mm thick. The grain normally consists of bull except that the naked variety of Barley grains which become free after threshing.

Crop Season:
Barley is a rabi (winter season) cereal crop having short growing season. In very high altitude like Leh and Kargil with cool aerial climate, it is grown in summer. The ideal condition for growing barley is moderately dry period for sowing, occasional showers during the growing season and good weather for harvesting. The growing period in the plains lasts for about 5 months which may extend up to 6-7 months in medium to higher hills (1500 – 2500 m elevation).