Patent ID: 6492576
Filing Date: 2002-12-10
Classification: A01H,C12N,C12Q,G01N

Abstract:
A method for selecting a barley variety with improved fermentability for brewing from a population of breeding lineages consisting of Types A, B and C, based on the thermostability of a &bgr;-amylase encoded by the barley, which comprises:(a) heating a solution of said &bgr;-amylase, expressed by the barley variety, at 57.5Â° C. for 30 minutes, and measuring the thermostability therefrom with a relative remaining activity after heating as an indicator of said thermostability; (b) classifying the barley variety into one of the following three types: (i) Type A, wherein 40% or more relative activity is retained after said heating; (ii) Type B, wherein 10-30% relative activity is retained after said heating; and (iii) Type C, wherein 3% or less relative activity is retained after said heating; and (c) selecting Type A from the population of breeding lineages consisting of populations of Types A and B; or selecting Type A from the population of breeding lineages consisting of Types A and C; or selecting Type B from the population of breeding lineages consisting of Types B and C; or selecting Type A from the population of breeding lineages consisting of Types A, B, and C, whereby the selected barley variety displays improved fermentability.