Australia & China: China in quest for Australian high quality malting barley

With beer production continuing to grow in China, Western Australian grain growers are tapping into an increasing demand for quality malting barley, SeedQuest informed June 29.

Barley breeder with the Department of Agriculture and Food, Dr Chengdao Li, recently visited China with Grain Australia on a Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) grant to learn more about the specific barley quality requirements needed to meet the style of brewing undertaken in China.

Dr Li said Western Australian malting barley varieties are ideal for the China market and that the Western Australian variety Baudin is believed to be one of the best malting barleys in the world for their brewing style.

However, a trend of declining protein levels in the delivered grain of Baudin and Gairdner may have long term effects on their market reputation as high quality varieties.

The Western Australian barley industry needs to work together to reverse this trend to ensure that our barley meets customer requirements and gives our grain the edge in the international market place.

Dr Li stated growers need to ensure that their malting barley crops have the right level of protein in the grain to capitalise on the processing benefits of these varieties and to enable Western Australian growers to retain their good reputation and market-share.

“In China, the target protein level for malting barley is 10.5 per cent with the accepted national standard of between 10 and 12 per cent,” he said.

“Growers of Baudin and Gairdner need to ensure that their barley crops have adequate nitrogen to meet the target grain protein of 10.5 per cent required for the malting market.

“In light of the market requirement, plus a good season start and stored soil moisture from summer rain increasing yield potentials, Esperance district growers and others on the south coast may need to reassess the nitrogen requirements of their malting barley crops.

“Adequate nitrogen helps prevent higher than expected crop yields from diluting protein to levels below market requirements. Top up nitrogen applications can be made up to stem elongation. It is important to assess the yield potential of your crop and apply enough nitrogen to produce a 10.5 per cent protein crop. Ideally some nitrogen should be applied around 8 weeks after sowing to ensure adequate tillering. Any further nitrogen applications are dependent on yield potential. Small plot trials have shown however that when some of the top up nitrogen is applied around stem elongation this may benefit grain protein concentration without impacting on screenings levels.

“Growers who apply a split application of nitrogen to optimise their malt grain production need to be vigilant against foliar diseases as these can reduce yields. Some diseases, such as powdery mildew are attracted to high nitrogen status plants and if they occur, growers need to be ready to take action and control them in the early stages.”

12 July, 2006