The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-16
Barley Seems Destined
For Important Position
Availability Of Smut-kesist-
ant Varieties Brings
Greater Paintings

lIIS1y 1IllpO1 td1IC p1oSS ~ 4NoA 0oA
olina's agriculture now that smut
resistant varieties have become
available, according to DR.. G. K.
Middleton, acting head Of the State
college Agronomy Department.
Since 1890, experiment station re-
search workers have carried on a
barle-. improvement program with
three detectives in mind: The de-
velopment of a high-yielding forage
barley; the development of a high
yielding grain barley; and the de-
velopment OF smut resistance in
each of these two types, if posi-
BILE.
In the past ten years, consid-
cradle progress has been made
with each of these three detectives.
While a larger number of selec-
tons have been islated and tested
during the past decade, a few have
been outstanding.
Iredell Barley
AS a forage barley, Iredell, or
Hooded Selection q, has led tests
so far as this type is concerned
As an average for nine years, il
has produced 16 per cent more
grain than has Tennessee No. 6,
the check variety.
However, DR.. Middleton declared
the best feature about this selec'
ton is not its higher yield, but its
smut resistance. During the ter
years it has been under observa'
ton, only a trace of smut has
been found. This year not a trace
was found in a 20-acre field a
the Piedmont Branch Experiment
Station at Statesville.
To make sure that this variety
would Withstand attacks of smut
it has been inoculated with fifteer
different varieties of smut during
the past four years. Only a Sigh
amount of smut developed from
any of these NEGOTIATIONS.
On the other hand, check varie
ties treated the same way develop
ed a considerable amount of smut
thus showing the superiority of thu
Iredeu strain, which. for all prac
teal purposes. is now considered
resistant.
>. Davidson Barley
>. DR.. Middleton explained tina
where yield of grain per acre il
OF primary concern, the bearded
selections usually surpass tn
beardles5 or hooded types. Of thi
type, Davidson, or Bearded Selec
ton IS, has been the highest yield
ing strain and has shown a smu
resistant record similar to the Ire
dell.
For the past nine years, 1t ha'
averaged 40.6 bushels to the acr'
as compared with 1876 bushels TO,
Tennessee Winter, the STANDARD
bearded variety in this region, ant
1913 bushels for Tennessee Hooded
No. 6. This shows a 20 per cen
increase over Tennessee Winter
and, of course, a much higher in
crease over the hooded checl
strain.
The State college agronomist
who has been largely responsible
for developing these new strains
said Bearded Selection 60 has beer
almost as good as the Davidson
and is preferred by some. Othel
strains now being tested give ever
greater promise. but will be test
ed further before they are released
to North Carolina farmers.
with a great deal of emphasi'
now being places on the production
of feed crops" DR.. Middleton said
these new barleys should find al
important place. Barleys seem t.
grow well on almost any fertile
soil that is suited for wheat pro
duction, but should not be attempt
ed on poor soil. 1t is not a salts
factory crop on poor land"
On land where adapted, barley
will produce yields comparable
with corn and with less labor. i
is especially suited for use as 9
grant crop in the soil conservation
program.
In winter hardness, barley ranks
between wheat and oats. While il
is not quite so safe a crop as wheat
for the mountain counties, the two
new strains, Iredell and Davidson
have shown very little injury III
tests at the Mountain Branch Elk
pertinent Station near Asheville
during the past four years.
Barley is an ideal nurse crop fol-
lespedeza or clover, DR.. Middleton
explained, as it is earlier in ma
turity than either wheat or oats.
This is of considerable importance
to the legume crop during a dry
spring. -.
When grown for maximum grain
yields, barley should be seeded
about October l. However, it may
be seeded two weeks earlier and
provide fine fall grazing as well
as a good grain crop if not grazed
too late in the winter. Handled in
this way, it will produce more fall
grazing than either wheat or oats.
"Now that smut resistance has
been bred into this grain" DR..
Middleton said, 1--WE are hoping
that more farmers will give it a
trial this fall and winter" 4
Lime is most needed in the west
arm mart of North carolina IN cor-