Discussions on blue barley

Blue aleurone creates a faint blue or green tinge on the barley grain, which has some consequences in terms of market acceptance, although there is no alteration to the grain’s performance and quality.

Barley Australia director John Stuart said Intergrain has developed a line called Litmus that is based on lines with blue aleurone layers.

However, at present the varieties cannot be delivered into the bulk system, even as feed.

Mr Stuart said other countries had barley with the blue aleurone layer and added the fact that Australia may miss out on breeding opportunities if the rules were not revisited.

“Germany and France both have barley with blue aleurone present and there is a lot of good breeding material internationally that we may be to use.”

He said the subject would be up for discussion at the Barley Australia forum in Adelaide on September 7.

“It’s something we need to have a look at – there are logistical issues in terms of segregations but with Litmus and more varieties in the pipeline with the blue aleurone layer it is a discussion we need to have.”

Mr Stuart said he felt there was invaluable genetic material in Europe that Australia could miss out purely because of the aesthetics of the grain.

“The difference really does come down solely to the look of the grain.”

He said export markets, in particular China, would have to be kept in the loop if there were any changes, but added he did not think it would necessarily be a barrier to trade.

“Like all malt varieties, a new variety that had a blue aleurone layer would have to go through accreditation and then it would also have to win acceptance from the maltsters.”

“If a variety did perform the way the maltsters wanted they would use it.”

He said China, which began buying malt barley from Australia in the mid-1980s had never bought a blue aleurone layer line from Australia.