The University of Saskatchewan’s
Crop Development Centre in Saskatoon has released its recently
registered low phytate hulless barley as a public variety. “That material is very interesting because it has low levels of phytic
acid in the barley,” states Dr. Brian Rossnagel, a barley and oat
breeder at the Crop Development Centre. The phosphorus in this variety is more readily available to the animals
that eat it, particularly hogs, rather than going in one end and out the
other creating potential issues with regard to phosphorus pollution. Release as a public variety means that seed growers can purchase
breeders seed from the Crop Development Centre, reproduce the seed
through the various generations of pedigreed seed and sell certified
seed free of royalties to anyone interested in growing it as feed,
particularly for swine. Dr. Rossnagel expects this new variety to be particularly useful to
those who grow their own feed.
“By not having any royalties associated with this variety we hope that
will make it flow more seamlessly and easily into the system.”