A STUDY OF YIELD AND PROTEIN RESPONSE OF MALTING BARLEY VARIETIES TO DIFFERENT FERTILIZERS
A study was initiated in 1952 to determine the effect of various fertilizers on yield, protein percentage and saccharifying activity of three varieties of malting barley. The varieties Montcalm, O.A.C. 21 and Olli were used throughout a 6-year testing period from 1952 to 1957. During the first 4 years of experimentation, fertilizer treatments included 20 and 40 lb./acre of 11–48–0, 72 and 96 lb./acre o f 16–20–0, and 60 lb./acre of ammonium nitrate. During the last 2 years of testing, the rates of fertilizer application consisted of 40, 60, 80 and 100 lb./acre of 11–48–0 and 96, 120 and 144 lb./acre of 16–20–0.The combined analysis of variance for yield for each of the two periods (1952–55 and 1956–57) showed fertilizer effects to be significant to the 1 per cent point. A significant "variety × fertilizer" interaction was found to occur for each period and was attributable to the differential response of the three varieties particularly at the high levels of fertilizer application.In 3 of the 5 years in which quality analyses were conducted, crude protein percentage and saccharifying activity of fertilized Montcalm and O.A.C. 21 were increased in comparison with control (unfertilized) material. In contrast, the protein percentage of Olli was not influenced by fertilizer treatment in any year.Varietal fluctuations in saccharifying activity values, either between years or between treatments, paralleled those for protein.From the practical viewpoint, it is doubtful whether the actual magnitude of protein increases, as found in the present study, was sufficient to consider fertilization as detrimental to malting quality.