| Abstract: | The hardness of samples of 41 barley cultivars grown in Australia was determined by measuring milling energy. The milling energy was negatively correlated (r= ?0.49) with the starch and positively correlated (r=0.50) with the β-glucan content. The correlation with protein content was not significant. This suggests that a low starch content and a high β-glucan content may contribute to hardness but other factors may probably also be involved. The extent of modification of these barley samples measured by Calcofluor staining after steeping and 48 h of germination was correlated with the grain hardness (r= ?0.56). Factors contributing to grain hardness may limit the rate of endosperm modification during malting, indicating the value of selecting softer cultivars for malting. |
