Pinnacle, a new two-rowed barley variety, has been developed and released by the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station, says Al Schneiter, North Dakota State University Department of Plant Sciences chair.

Pinnacle has barley parentage of mostly experimental lines, but includes Logan and Foster in its early ancestry. The original cross was made in 1999 by Jerry Franckowiak, former NDSU two-rowed barley breeder who retired in 2006.

Pinnacle has a white hull, smooth awns and long rachilla hair. Stephen Neate, NDSU barley plant pathologist, says Pinnacle has greater resistance to spot blotch than Conlon, North Dakota's leading two-rowed barley, and approaches that of Lacey and Drummond, which are six-rowed varieties. Fusarium head blight resistance, measured as a percent of infected kernels, is slightly less than that of Conlon, while the deoxynivalenol (DON) level is slightly higher.

Based on four years of trials in North Dakota by the NDSU barley breeding program, Pinnacle has a 15 percent yield advantage over Conlon. Pinnacle heads out about three days later than Conlon, but has greater straw strength than Conlon and approaches that of the strongest six-rowed varieties.

One of Pinnacle's strengths is its excellent quality, making it a possible candidate for malting and brewing uses, says Paul Schwarz, NDSU malting and brewing scientist. Compared with Conlon, Pinnacle has lower protein and a higher percentage of plump kernels. The remainder of its malting characteristics is similar to Conlon, which is accepted by the malting and brewing industry. Pinnacle has been tested for a year by the American Malting Barley Association and has received a satisfactory rating in all tests. Tests are being conducted on the 2006 crop.

If accepted by the industry as a malting variety, Pinnacle is expected to replace almost all the acreage of Conlon. Pinnacle is expected to have a significant economic impact on the state's barley industry because of its significant yield advantage, increased plumpness and reduced protein compared with Conlon.

Pinnacle will be allocated through the County Crop Improvement Association in spring 2008. The NDSU Research Foundation will apply for plant variety protection with Title V and assess research fees of 25 cents per bushel on registered and certified seed.

NDSU Agriculture Communication