Source: AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE submitted to
RESEARCH ON MALTING QUALITY IMPROVEMENT IN BARLEY
Sponsoring Institution
Agricultural Research Service/USDA
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
USDA INHOUSE
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0401689
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
3655-43440-002-00D
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Apr 23, 1999
Project End Date
Apr 22, 2004
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
SCHMITT M
Recipient Organization
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE
501 WALNUT STREET
MADISON,WI 53726
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
(N/A)
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
60%
Applied
40%
Developmental
0%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
20415501060100%
Knowledge Area
204 - Plant Product Quality and Utility (Preharvest);

Subject Of Investigation
1550 - Barley;

Field Of Science
1060 - Biology (whole systems);
Goals / Objectives
1) To identify, purify, and characterize the endoproteinases of germinating barley and malt that degrade proteins during malting and mashing. 2) To purify and characterize barley and malt proteins that inhibit the malt proteinases. 3) To analyze the 'malting quality' of new US public sector barley lines, including those developed for Fusarium resistance. 4) To develop laboratory malting conditions that produce malts similar to commercial malts.
Project Methods
Identify proteinases that, during malting and mashing, alter wort soluble protein and free amino nitrogen levels. Characterize the mash endoproteinases. Purify and characterize green malt endoproteinases that control malt modification. Measure the enzyme kinetic parameters (Km and Vmax values). Sequence the enzyme amino acids so their genes can be cloned. Localize the endoproteinases in barley and malt kernels. Determine when the proteases are formed and destroyed during malting and brewing. Compare the endoproteinases of various barleys. Purify and characterize the endogenous endoproteinase inhibitors of barley and malt. Prepare malt from and analyze the malting quality of; a) early generation breeder's lines, b) samples from the spring barley collaborative nurseries, c) breeders' advanced lines, and d) lines for experimental studies (resistance to Fusarium and other pests, gene mapping, etc.). Develop methods for producing 'commercial' type malts. Test new malting and analysis methods.

Progress 04/23/99 to 04/22/04

Outputs
1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it (summarize project aims and objectives)? How serious is the problem? What does it matter? There is a continual need for new and improved malting barley varieties to replace existing varieties which no longer meet the needs of the malting/brewing industry. Since malting-grade barley has performance specifications that exceed those for generic feed-grade barley, new malting varieties must meet specific quality standards. This project provides the primary malting barley quality analysis service for US public sector barley improvement, malting and analyzing between 4000 and 5500 (depending on crop year) barley lines for barley, malt and wort quality parameters, providing critical information about the malting performance of experimental lines, and guiding selection of suitable lines for release as commercial varieties for the malting industry. Since screening for malting quality parameters in a traditional breeding program is labor-intensive and inefficient, improvements in the ways in which suitable barley lines are selected are needed. Much of the difficulty in developing new lines is due to a lack of knowledge about basic processes in germinating barley that are related to ultimate malt quality, and how such critical processes can be monitored to select optimal lines more efficiently. We are addressing this question by conducting basic research on protein mobilization during barley germination (malting) and mashing, since protein levels and composition in grain, malt and wort are critical quality determinants, but the details of processes controlling protein catabolism are poorly understood. We are also developing tools suitable for large-scale germplasm screening which will validate or refute the importance of processes currently postulated to be critical to barley protein dynamics. How serious is the problem? Development of improved barley varieties meeting the malting industry needs is facing a severe challenge in recent years, with problems due to increased Fusarium head blight (fungal infection), as well as premature sprouting and high grain protein levels resulting from environmental conditions, particularly in the upper Midwest, historically the primary malting barley growing region. What does it matter? Due to its use in the food and beverage industry, malting-grade barley has strict and very low tolerance thresholds for DON (fungal toxin produced by Fusarium head blight, also known as Vomitoxin). Barley which exceeds these limits is rejected by maltsters. Similarly, preharvest sprouting and high grain protein levels cause significant problems for maltsters and can lead to crop rejection. Current malting barley varieties often cannot meet these criteria and are rejected. Varieties with resistance to fungal infection and greater tolerance to environmental variability are sorely needed in order to ensure a suitable supply of malting barley for food and beverage production. 2. List the milestones (indicators of progress) from your Project Plan. Project 3620-43440-002-00D was implemented 4/23/99 and thus had no project plan certified by the Office of Scientific Quality Review (OSQR). The previous Lead Scientist (Berne Jones) retired in 2002 and a new Lead Scientist (Mark Schmitt) was hired 6/03. This project, 3620-43440-002-00D, was bridged to 3655-43440-003-00D. A prospectus has been accepted and a new project plan is currently being written for inclusion in the February 2005 Ad Hoc Peer Review for NP 306 Quality and Utilization of Agricultural Products, scheduled for February - April 2005. Milestones for each objective will be listed in the FY2005 Report of Progress (AD-421) for the new project. 3. Milestones: A. List the milestones that were scheduled to be addressed in FY 2004. How may milestones did you fully or substantially meet in FY 2004, and indicate which ones were not fully or substantially met, briefly explain why not, and your plans to do so. The previous Lead Scientist (Berne Jones) retired in 2002 and a new Lead Scientist (Mark Schmitt) was hired 6/03. Additionally, Allen Budde, a former Support Scientist, was promoted to Category 4 Service Scientist supervising the malting Quality Analysis program 2/04. This project, 3620-43440-002-00D, was bridged to 3655-43440-003-00D. A prospectus has been accepted and a new project plan is currently being written for inclusion in the February 2005 Ad Hoc Peer Review for NP 306 Quality and Utilization of Agricultural Products, scheduled for February - April 2005. Initial methods development work establishing critical techniques for the anticipated proteomics approach to barley seed proteinase research has been initiated, with a novel assay suitable for both high-throughput screening and 2-D PAGE zymography ready for use. B. List the milestones that you expect to address over the next three years (FY 2005, 2006 and 2007). What do you expect to accomplish, year by year, over the next three years under each milestone. In FY2005, we will accomplish the following milestones: In 2005 the project plan will be reviewed and finalized. We will also demonstrate the feasibility of a proteomics approach to study protein mobilization in germinating barley by combining proteinase zymography and Mass Spec sequencing to identify proteinases. We will establish the technical feasibility of high throughput proteinase assays to survey barley germplasm to identify breeding lines with desirable characteristics for improvements in malting quality. We will continue to analyze the malting quality of 5500+ experimental lines submitted by cooperating barley breeders through the duration of the project. In 2006 we will begin to systematically catalog and identify by sequence homology the >40 previously described proteinase activities in germinating Morex barley seed and malt. We will initiate comparisons of the proteinase profiles among limited numbers of malting and feed-quality barley varieties to begin to define the diversity of proteinases in malting barley and their importance to malting quality. We will continue to examine the class-specific activities of proteinases across diverse experimental barley breeding lines to link the activities of proteinase inhibitor classes with malting quality. In 2007, we will continue, expand, and complete the activities described for 2006. 4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? A. Single most significant accomplishment during FY 2004: Development of novel fluorogenic protease assay. The assay builds on previous use of derivatized gelatin as a proteinase substrate, but significantly improves earlier methods by reducing sample volumes, increasing detection sensitivity, eliminating multiple tedious sample transfers and manipulations, and formatting the assay to run in efficient microplate (96- or 384-well) formats, greatly improving assay efficiency. The assay system is also well suited for 2-D PAGE/Zymography applications. The microplate assay and its modifications for 2-D Zymography will be key methodologies for future proteinase proteomics research. The fluorogenic microwell assay may also be suitable for screening germplasm to demonstrate linkages between proteinase classes and malting quality for subsequent varietal improvement. B. Other significant accomplishment(s), if any: Malting and analysis of over 5500 experimental barley lines with results reported to collaborating barley breeders and the malting barley trade association as appropriate for advancing and prioritizing malting barley variety development. C. Significant activities that support special target populations: Screening of Sorghum lines to find the best malting varieties. Beer brewed utilizing Sorghum instead of Barley malt is gluten-free and so can safely be consumed by individuals with Celiac disease. 5. Describe the major accomplishments over the life of the project, including their predicted or actual impact. The previous Lead Scientist (Berne Jones) retired in 2002 and a new Lead Scientist (Mark Schmitt) was hired 6/03. This project, 3620-43440-002-00D, was bridged to 3655-43440-003-00D. A prospectus has been accepted and a new project plan is currently being written for inclusion in the February 2005 Ad Hoc Peer Review for NP 306 Quality and Utilization of Agricultural Products, scheduled for February - April 2005. Major accomplishments over the life of the project can be found in the FY2003 Report of Progress (AD-421). 7. List your most important publications in the popular press and presentations to organizations and articles written about your work. Ullrich, S., Schmierer, D., Jones, B., Budde, A., Kleinhofs, A. 2003. Comparison of Malting Quality and Yield Characteristics with Genome Composition of Molecular-Bred 'Harrington'/'Baronesse' Lines. Proceedings American Society of Brewing Chemists Congress 2003, June 7-11, 2003, Santa Ana Pueblo, NM, Poster #10.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

  • Jones, B., Budde, A.D. 2003. The effect of reducing and oxidizing agents and ph on malt endoproteolytic activities on malt mashes. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 51(25):7504-7512.


Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/03

Outputs
1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it? Malting barley improvement is a continuous process involving improvements in yield, disease and insect resistance, and malting quality. This project works with U.S. public sector barley breeders to ensure that the malting quality of new, improved malting barleys is equal to or better than that of those cultivars that will be replaced. Malt is prepared from breeders' barley lines and the quality of the malt is measured. This information is sent to the breeders and to industry personnel so that the best lines can be carried forward for commercial use. Because knowledge about the biochemistry of the malting process is incomplete, new malting barleys are developed using traditional plant breeding. This process is inefficient, because many lines must be evaluated to select the few that have the desired combination of traits. If we knew more about the biochemistry of the malting process, the development of improved barleys could be made more efficient. This project is conducting research to define how proteins are degraded during malting and mashing to provide amino acids for fermentation by yeast. The information thus obtained will then used by collaborators to more efficiently develop barleys that are specifically designed to better fit various end uses. 2. How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? The problem is very serious, especially at present. The barley varieties that have recently been grown in the upper Midwest (the cradle of U.S. malting barley production) are all susceptible to attack by the fungus Fusarium, and for the last 8 years the crop from that area has been only marginally usable because of Fusarium contamination. If new cultivars that have both resistance to this fungus and outstanding malting quality are not developed soon, the growing of malting barley in this area may cease. Evaluation of breeders' lines for malting quality is crucial to the process of developing improved cultivars (including those with Fusarium resistance), and the results of these evaluations are essential for the plant breeders and for the malting and brewing industries. It is presently a costly business developing new malting barleys because the breeders must develop and have tested about 20,000 new lines for each one that has quality that is good enough for industry to use it. By applying the biochemical knowledge that is generated, barley development methods will become more scientific and efficient. This should lower the number of lines that have to be tested, which will lower the development costs and will shorten the time needed to obtain improved lines. It will also allow the development of barleys that are especially suited for varied uses. 3. How does it relate to the National Program(s) and National Program Component(s) to which it has been assigned? National Program 306, Quality and Ultilization of Agricultural Products (100%) This research project relates specifically to the National Program 306 component 'intrinsic product quality'. The research is necessary for improving the quality attributes of barley and of malts prepared from that barley. Either directly, or with collaborators, the project also affects ARS objectives 2.1.2.3, plant genome mapping; 2.1.2.5, plant germplasm evaluation; 2.1.2.6, germplasm enhancement and plant breeding; 4.3.3.3, genetic, environmental and agronomic factors relating to the quality of agricultural products; and to 4.4.2, quality measurement methods. 4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? A. Single most significant accomplishment during FY 2003: The lead (and only) scientist position on this project was vacant until June 30, 2003; therefore, there is no significant accomplishment to report. B. Other significant accomplishment(s), if any: none. C. Significant activities that support special target populations: none. 5. Describe the major accomplishments over the life of the project, including their predicted or actual impact. Each year we have malted and analyzed between 4520 and 5200 barley lines and the data generated by this project have been used by our collaborators to select those lines that show commercial promise and to discard those that do not. All of the new barley cultivars that have been developed by U.S. public sector barley breeders have been selected on the basis of the data we provided. This includes both lines presently being used by industry and those that are now being tested by industry for possible use. Data that we have provided have also been used by collaborating researchers to map malting quality genes on the barley genome and to develop improved breeding methods. We tested an improved malting system, which will allow us to make different types of malts for analysis. We determined exactly how to process malts in order to get data that will be representative of how the lines will behave commercially. This will allow us to more readily detect which lines will be useful to the industry. The addition of this instrumentation will also allow us to analyze a thousand more samples each year and lets us make various malt types, depending on what we need to analyze for. We used the system to prepare malts from different barley breeders for analysis. One set of samples were winter barleys. The development of winter barleys with good malting quality will help to ensure that there will always be sufficient barley to supply the needs of the U.S. brewing industry. We have purified and characterized four protein degrading enzymes from malted barley, together with two proteins that can regulate how fast certain of these enzymes operate. This knowledge makes it possible to use genetic methods to regulate how proteins are degraded during the malting and brewing processes. We also purified and characterized several endoproteinases from barley and from Fusarium culmorum, a fungal pathogen that attacks barley, causing a devastating disease (scab). We characterized these enzymes and studied how they affect the growth and health of barley plants. This information can be used by breeders to develop barley plants that have improved malting quality and that are more resistant to attack by the Fusarium fungus. We studied the protein- degrading system of Fusarium culmorum that was grown on grain proteins to determine how this system can be disrupted in order to make it harder for the fungus to attack barley grains. Fusarium proteinases and their barley inhibitors were purified and characterized. Two proteinases were purified and studied; five inhibitors were isolated and partially characterized. With increased understanding of the role of Fusarium proteinases in fungal infections, it may be possible to develop a strategy to identify barley lines that are resistant to attack by Fusarium. 6. What do you expect to accomplish, year by year, over the next 3 years? The array of protease activities in germinating barley is complex, with over 40 different activities in at least four protease classes. Only a limited number of these proteases have been characterized to date. We will continue to characterize the members of these classes through traditional purification and analytical methodologies. However, in addition, we will also evaluate a proteomics approach to protease characterization in order to attempt to accelerate the process. Gaining a more complete understanding of the role of the various proteases in germination and protein remobilization, their localization and developmental dynamics, and how the proteolytic products affect malting and brewing quality should help in selection of specific targets for further improvement of barley germplasm. The gap between basic knowledge of processes in a system and implementation of reliable, routine tests for these processes to assist in selection of improved varieties can be significant. We intend to develop test systems to assay proteases and protease inhibitors in germinating barley that are potentially suitable for screening barley germplasm. These tests may include enzyme assays and/or Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) tests. These tests will be evaluated for their utility in identifying useful traits by testing them against barley varieties and breeding lines. If these tests prove useful in identifying lines with improved malting quality or disease resistance, we will work to incorporate them into our routine evaluations and make them available to the industry. 7. What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end- user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption and durability of the technology products? Public sector barley breeders and the malting and brewing industries have been given barley lines that have improved malting quality. Barley geneticists and other researchers have been given information that they can use to apply improved (genetic and molecular biology) methods to more readily develop better quality malting barleys and barleys that will have improved resistance to the Fusarium fungus. These technologies are already being used. The malting and brewing industries have been given information about the degradation of protein during malting and mashing that allows them to more efficiently produce improved malt and beer. Barley researchers and breeders have been given the same information and can use it to alter the capabilities of future barleys to degrade the proteins of their barleys at different rates, as they see fit.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

  • PEKKARINEN, A.I., KLEEMOLA, T., LAITILA, A., HAIKARA, A., JONES, B.L. FUSARIUM SPECIES SYNTHESIZE ALKALINE PROTEINASES IN INFESTED BARLEY. JOURNAL OF CEREAL SCIENCE. 2003. v. 37. p. 349-356.
  • PEKKARINEN, A.I., JONES, B.L. Purification and identification of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) proteins that inhibit the alkaline serine proteinases of Fusarium culmorum. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL FOOD CHEMISTRY. 2003. v. 51. p. 1710-1717.
  • JONES, B.L., FONTANINI, D. TRYPSIN/ALPHA-AMYLASE INHIBITORS INACTIVATE ENDOGENOUS BARLEY/MALT SERINE ENDOPROTEINASES. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY. 2003. http://pubs.acs.org/reprint-request?jf030075x/e7sw.


Progress 10/01/01 to 09/30/02

Outputs
1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it? A. Malting barley improvement is a continuous process involving improvements in yield, disease and insect resistance, and malting quality. This project works with US public sector barley breeders to ensure that new, improved malting barleys are available to replace those presently in use as they become obsolete. Malt is prepared from breeders' barley lines and the quality of the malt is measured. This information is sent to the breeders and to industry personnel so that the best lines can be carried forward for commercial use. B. Because we know little about the biochemistry of the malting process, new malting barleys have to be developed using an inefficient hit-or-miss process. If we knew more about the chemistry of the malting process, the operation of developing improved barleys could be speeded up and made more efficient. This project is conducting research to define how proteins are degraded during the malting and brewing processes. The information thus obtained will then used by collaborators to more efficiently develop barleys that are specifically designed to better fit various end uses. 2. How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? A. The problem is very serious, especially at present. The barley varieties that have recently been grown in the upper Midwest (the cradle of US malting barley production) are all susceptible to attack by the fungus Fusarium, and for the last 7 years the crop from that area has been only marginally usable because of Fusarium contamination. If new varieties that have both resistance to this fungus and outstanding malting quality are not developed soon, the growing of malting barley in this area may cease. The malting quality of the fusarium-resistant and other lines is measured as they are developed, so that lines that have superior malting quality can be selected. B. It is presently a costly business developing new malting barleys because the breeders must develop and have tested about 20,000 new lines for each one that has quality that is good enough for industry to use it. By applying the biochemical knowledge that is generated, barley development methods will become more scientific and efficient. This should lower the number of lines that have to be developed and tested, which will lower the development costs and will shorten the time needed to obtain improved lines. It will also allow the development of barleys that are especially suited for varied uses. 3. How does it relate to the national Program(s) and National Program Component(s) to which it has been assigned? This research project relates to the NP 306 and more specifically to the program 306 component 'intrinsic product quality'. They are necessary for improving the quality attributes of barley and of malts prepared from that barley. Either directly, or through collaborators, it also affects ARS objectives 2.1.2.3, plant genome mapping; 2.1.2.5, plant germplasm evaluation; 2.1.2.6, germplasm enhancement and plant breeding; 4.3.3.3, genetic, environmental and agronomic factors relating to the quality of agricultural products; and to 4.4.2, quality measurement methods. 4. What was your most significant accomplishment this past year? A. Single Most Significant Accomplishment during FY2002: Purified and characterized several endoproteinases from barley and from Fusarium culmorum, a serious pest that attacks barley. Characterized these enzymes and studied how they probably affect the growth and health of barley plants. This information can be used by breeders to develope barley plants that have improved malting quality and that are more resistant to attack by the Fusarium fungus. B. Other Significant Accomplishment(s), if any: Malted and analyzed the quality of breeders' and experimental barley lines. The research was carried out to identify barley lines that had acceptable malting quality. We prepared malt from barleys submitted to us by colleagues and collaborators located throughout the US and analyzed 15 quality characteristics of the barleys and malts. Approximately 4,520 samples were malted and analyzed, and, where appropriate, the results were sent back to our collaborators. The information we furnished was used to ascertain which of the breeders lines had sufficient malting quality that they might be commercially acceptable. Purified and characterized a series of proteins that occur in barley that can inhibit the activities of Fusarium endoproteinases. Identified five different inhibitors, showed how they inhibit the two Fusarium endoproteinases and measured the different kinetic properties of the various inhibitors. This knowledge can now be used to develop barley lines that should, in theory, be more resistant to Fusarium infestation than those presently in use. Tested our improved malting system, which will allow us to make different types of malts for analysis. Determined exactly how we need to process our malts in order to get data that will be representative of how the lines will behave commercially. Used the system to prepare malts from different barley breeders for analysis. One set of samples were winter barleys. The development of winter barleys with good malting quality will help to ensure that there will always be sufficient barley to supply the needs of the US brewing industry. This will allow us to more readily detect which lines will be useful to the industry. The addition of this instrumentation will also allow us to analyze a thousand more samples each year and lets us make various malt types, depending on what we need to analyze for. Studied the protein-degrading system of Fusarium culmorum that was grown on grain proteins to determine how this system can be disrupted in order to make it harder for the fungus to attack barley grains. Fusarium proteinases and their barley inhibitors were purified and characterized. Two proteinases were purified and studied; five inhibitors were isolated and partially characterized. If this system can be defined well enough, it should be possible to manipulate the levels of the enzymes and inhibitors to make barleys that are resistant to attack by Fusarium, which causes the devastating disease called scab. C. Significant Accomplishments/Activities that Support Special Target Populations: none. 5. Describe your major accomplishments over the life of the project, including their predicted or actual impact? A. Each year we have malted and analyzed between 4520 and 5200 barley lines and the data generated by this project have been used by our collaborators to select those lines that show commercial promise and to discard those that do not. All of the new barley cultivars that have been developed by US public sector barley breeders have been selected on the basis of the data we provided. This includes both lines presently being used by industry and those that are now being tested by industry for possible use. Data that we have provided have also been used by collaborating researchers to map malting quality genes on the barley genome and to develop improved breeding methods. B. We have purified and characterized four protein degrading enzymes from malted barley, together with two proteins that can regulate how fast certain of these enzymes operate. This knowledge makes it possible to use genetic methods and to alter processing methods to regulate how proteins are degraded during the malting and brewing processes. 6. What do you expect to accomplish, year by year, over the next 3 years? The scientist who led this project has retired, although the position will be refilled. The cooperative barley quality analysis will continue essentially as it has in the past under the leadership of a support scientist. The research component of the project will be a study of the enzymes involved in the malting process and their regulation. The specific nature of the investigations and expected timetable will be determined by the incumbent. 7. What technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the technology likely to become available to the end user (industry, farmer other scientist)? What are the constraints, if known, to the adoption durability of the technology? A. Public sector barley breeders and the malting and brewing industries have been given barley lines that have improved malting quality. Barley geneticists and other researchers have been given information that they can use to apply improved (genetic and molecular biology) methods to more readily develop better quality malting barleys and barleys that will have improved reisstance to the Fusarium fungus. These technologies are already being used. B. The malting and brewing industries have been given information about the degradation of protein during malting and mashing that allows them to more efficiently produce improved malt and beer. Barley researchers and breeders have been given the same information and can use it to alter the capabilities of future barleys to degrade the proteins of their barleys at different rates, as they see fit. The only constraints to A are inertia on the part of industry; constraints to B are mostly that methods for altering the biochemistry of barley lines by biotechnology methods are still in their infancy.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

  • Jones, B.L. Interactions of malt and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) Endoproteinases with their endogenous inhibitors. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2001. v. 49. p. 5975-5981.
  • Pekkarinen, A.I., Niku-Paavola, M-L., Jones, B.L. Purification and Properties of an Alkaline Proteinase of Fusarium culmorum. European Journal of Biochemistry. 2001. v. 269. p. 798-807.
  • Jones, B.L., Marinac, L. The effect of mashing on malt endoproteolytic activities. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2002. v. 50. p. 858-864.
  • Pekkarinen, A.I., Jones, B.L. Trypsin-like Proteinase produced by Fusarium culmorum grown on grain proteins. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2002. v. 50. p. 3849-3855.


Progress 10/01/00 to 09/30/01

Outputs
1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it? A. After malting barleys are released and used for a time, they tend to become outmoded, and need to be replaced by varieties that have improved malting quality. I work with the public sector barley breeders of the US to ensure that new, improved malting barleys are available to replace those presently in use as they become obsolete. I do this by preparing malt from the most promising new barley lines and measuring which of them have the best malting quality. This information is sent to the breeders and to industry personnel so that the best lines can be carried forward for commercial use. B. Because we know little about the biochemistry of the malting process, new malting barleys have to be developed using an inefficient hit-or-miss process. If we knew more about the chemistry of the malting process, the operation of developing improved barleys could be speeded up and made more efficient. I am conducting research to define how proteins are degraded during the malting and brewing processes. The information thus obtained will then used by collaborators to more efficiently develop barleys that are specifically designed to better fit various end uses. 2. How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? A. Very serious, especially at present. The barley varieties that have recently been grown in the upper Midwest (the cradle of US malting barley production) are all susceptible to attack by the fungus Fusarium, and for the last seven years the crop from that area has been only marginally useable because of Fusarium contamination. If new varieties that have both resistance to this fungus and outstanding malting quality are not developed soon, the growing of malting barley in this area may cease. I need to measure the malting quality of the fusarium-resistant and other lines as they are developed to select the lines that have superior malting quality. B. Fairly serious. It is presently a costly business developing new malting barleys because the breeders must develop, and we have to test, about 20,000 new lines for each one that has quality that is good enough for industry to use it. By applying the biochemical knowledge that we are amassing, we will be able to make the barley development methods more scientific and efficient. This should lower the number of lines that have to be developed and tested, which will lower the development costs and will shorten the time needed to obtain improved lines. It will also allow the development of barleys that are especially suited for varied uses. 3. How does it relate to the National Program(s) and National Component(s)? This research project relates to the NP 306 and more specifically to the program 306 component 'intrinsic product quality'. They are necessary for improving the quality attributes of barley and of malts prepared from that barley. Either directly, or through collaborators, it also affects ARS objectives 2.1.2.3, plant genome mapping; 2.1.2.5, plant germplasm evaluation; 2.1.2.6, germplasm enhancement and plant breeding; 4.3.3.3, genetic, environmental and agronomic factors relating to the quality of agricultural products; and to 4.4.2, quality measurement methods. 4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? A. Single Most Significant Accomplishment during FY2001: Malted and analyzed the quality of breeders' and experimental barley lines. The research was carried out to identify barley lines that had acceptable malting quality. We prepared malt from barleys submitted to us by colleagues and collaborators located throughout the US and analyzed 15 quality characteristics of the barleys and malts. Approximately 5,790 samples were malted and analyzed, and, where appropriate, the results were sent back to our collaborators. The information we furnished was used to ascertain which of the breeders lines had sufficient malting quality that they might be commercially acceptable. B. Other Significant Accomplishment(s), if any. Installed and set up an improved malting system, which will allow us to make different types of malts for analysis. After the instrument was installed, various malting parameters were tested to see how they affected the malt characteristics. Carried out part of this in collaboration with 1 malting and 1 brewing company and with another research group. We have now determined exactly how we need to process our malts in order to get data that will be representative of how the lines will behave commercially. This will allow us to more readily detect which lines will be useful to the industry. The addition of this instrumentation will also allow us to analyze a thousand more samples each year and lets us make various malt types, depending on what we need to analyze for. C. Significant Accomplishments/Activities that Support Special Target Populations. Studied the protein-degrading system of Fusarium culmorum that was grown on grain proteins to determine how this system can be disrupted in order to make it harder for the fungus to attack barley grains. Fusarium proteinases and their barley inhibitors were purified and characterized. Two proteinases were purified and studied; five inhibitors were isolated and partially characterized. If this system can be defined well enough, it should be possible to manipulate the levels of the enzymes and inhibitors to make barleys that are resistant to attack by Fusarium, which causes the devastating disease called scab. 5. Describe the major accomplishments over the life of the project including their predicted or actual impact. A. Each year we have malted and analyzed between 4600 and 5200 barley lines and the data generated by this project have been used by our collaborators to select those lines that show commercial promise and to discard those that do not. All of the new barley cultivars that have been developed by US public sector barley breeders have been selected on the basis of the data we provided. This includes both lines presently being used by industry and those that are now being tested by industry for possible use. Data that we have provided has also been used by collaborating researchers to map malting quality genes on the barley genome and to develop improved breeding methods. B. We have purified and characterized four protein-degrading enzymes from malted barley, together with two proteins that can regulate how fast certain of these enzymes operate. This knowledge makes it possible to use genetic methods and to alter processing methods to regulate how proteins are degraded during the malting and brewing processes. 6. What do you expect to accomplish, year by year, over the next 3 years? A. Each year, another 4500 or so early generation breeders' barley samples, along with about 800 experimental lines, will be malted and their malting attributes measured. This information will again be used by collaborators to select high quality barley lines and to study the genetics of the malting process. B. We will continue to characterize the protein-degrading enzymes of malts and mashes, will continue purifying and studying inhibitors of these enzymes and will investigate which proteins are degraded during commercial brewing procedures. We will also investigate the proteinases that Fusarium fungi apparently use to attack barley plants and compounds in barley grains that can stop the activities of these proteinases enzymes. 7. What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints if known, to the adoption & durability of the technology product? A. Public sector barley breeders and the malting and brewing industries have been given barley lines that have improved malting quality. Barley geneticists and other researchers have been given information that they can use to apply improved (genetic and molecular biology) methods to more readily develop better quality malting barleys. These technologies are already being used. B. The malting and brewing industries have been given information about the degradation of protein during malting and mashing that allows them to more efficiently produce improved malt and beer. Barley researchers and breeders have been given the same information and can use it to alter the capabilities of future barleys to degrade the proteins of their barleys at different rates, as they see fit. The only constraints to A are inertia on the part of industry; constraints to B are mostly that methods for altering the biochemistry of barley lines by biotechnology methods are still in their infancy. 8. List your most important publications in the popular press (no abstracts) and presentations to non-scientific organizations and articles written about your work (NOTE: this does not replace your peer-reviewed publications which are listed below) Hayes, P.M., Jones, B.L. Malting quality from a QTL perspective. Proceedings of the VIII International Barley Genetics Symposium. 2000. v. I. p. 99-106. Jones, B.L. Interactions of barley endoproteinases with their endogenous inhibitors. Hayes, P.M., Jones, B.L. Malting quality from a QTL perspective. Proceedings of the VIII International Barley Genetics Symposium. 2000. v. I. p. 118-120. Pekkarinen, A.I., Niku-Paavola M-L., Jones, B.L. Using biochemistry to protect barley from fusarium. Proceedings of the VIII International Barley Genetics Symposium. 2000. v. II. p. 154-156. Budde, A.D., Jones, B.L., Goplin, E., Peterson, D.M. A study of the malting quality of new barley selections. 2001. Annual Progress Report on Malting Barley Research. Published by the American Malting Barley Association, pp. 135-140. Jones, B.L., Fontanini, D., Pekkarinen, A.I. Characterization of the protein hydrolyzing systems of mashes, malts and Fusarium. 2001. Annual Progress Report on Malting Barley Research. Published by the American Malting Barley Association, pp. 141-148. Budde, A.D., Jones, B.L., Goplin, E.D., Peterson, D.M. Malting quality of barley varieties and selections grown in the mississippi valley uniform nursery and at central and eastern stations in 2000. CCRU-MWA-111. Budde, A.D., Jones, B.L., Goplin, E.D., Peterson, D.M. Malting quality of barley varieties and selections grown in rocky mountain and western stations in 2000. CCRU-MWA-112.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

  • Jones, B.L., Marinac, L.A, Fontanini, D. A quantitative study of the formation of endoproteolytic activities during malting and their stabilities to kilning. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2000. v. 48. p. 3898-3905.
  • Mikola, M., Brinck, O., Jones, B.L. Characterization of oat endoproteinases that hydrolyze oat avenins. Cereal Chemistry. 2001. v. 78. p. 55-58.
  • Peterson, D.M., Budde, A.D., Henson, C.A., Jones, B.L. Detecting corn syrup in barley malt extractions. Cereal Chemistry. 2001. v. 78. p. 349-353.
  • Jones, B.L. Interactions between barley and malt endoproteinases and their endogenous inhibitors. Brewers Digest. 2001. v. 76(3): Abstract p. 32.
  • Fontanini, D., Jones, B.L. Malt metallopeptidases - what are their roles in the brewing process? Brewers Digest. 2001. v. 76(3): Abstract p. 32.
  • Pekkarinen, A.I., Jones, B.L., Niku-Paavola, M-L. Two Fusarium proteinases that probably hydrolyze the storage proteins of scab-infested barleys. Brewers Digest. 2001. v. 76(3): Abstract p. 32-33.
  • Bolin, P., Schwartz, P., Jones, B.L., Horsley, R. Effect of malting parameters on the development of soluble protein in 6-rowed malting barley. Brewers Digest. 2001. v. 76(3): Abstract p. 40.
  • Budde, A.D., Jones, B.L. Assessing differences in malting quality parameters when malts are extracted under 'standard ASBC' and 'high gravity' conditions. Brewers Digest. 2001. v. 76(3): Abstract p. 40.
  • Marinac, L., Jones, B.L. The inactivation of malt proteolytic activities during malting. Brewers Digest. 2001. v. 76(3): Abstract p. 40-41.
  • Hayes, P.M., Castro, A., Corey, A., Marquez-Cedillo, Jones, B.L., Mather, D., Matus, I., Rossi, C., Sato, K. A Summary of Published barley QTL Reports. Available from: http://www.css.orst.edu/barley/nabgmp/qtlsum.htm [2000]
  • Marquez-Cedillo, L.A., Hayes, P.M., Jones, B.L., Kleinhofs, A., Legge, W. G., Rossnagel, B.G., Sato, K., Ullrich, S.E., Wesenberg, D.M., NABGMP. QTL analysis of malting quality in barley based on the doubled haploid progeny of two elite North American varieties representing different germplasm groups. Theoretical and Applied Genetics. 2000. v. 101. p. 173-184.
  • Jones, B.L., Marinac, L.A. Purification and partial characterization of a second cysteine proteinase inhibitor from ungerminated barley. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2000. v. 48(2). p. 257-264.
  • Hang, A., Burton, C.S., Hoffman, D.L., Jones, B.L. Random amplified polymorphic primer-generated embryo DNA polymorphisms among 16 North American malting barley cultivars. 2000. Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists. 2000. v. 58. p. 147-151.
  • Mikola, M., Jones, B.L. Characterization of oat endoproteinases that hydrolyze oat globulins. Cereal Chemistry. 2000. v. 77. p. 572-577.
  • Kandemir, N., Jones, B.L., Wesenberg, D.M., Ullrich, S.E., Kleinhofs, A. Marker-assisted analysis of three grain yield QTL in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) using near isogenic lines. Molecular Breeding. 2000. v. 6. p. 157-167.


Progress 10/01/99 to 09/30/00

Outputs
1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it? A) After malting barleys are released and used for a time, they tend to become outmoded, and need to be replaced by varieties that have improved malting quality. I work with the public sector barley breeders of the US to ensure that new, improved malting barleys are available to replace those presently in use as they become obsolete. I do this by preparing malt from the most promising new barley lines and measuring which of them have the best malting quality. This information is sent to the breeders and to industry personnel so that the best lines can be carried forward for commercial use. B) Because we know little about the biochemistry of the malting process, new malting barleys have to be developed using an inefficient hit-or-miss process. If we knew more about the chemistry of the malting process, the operation of developing improved barleys could be speeded up and made more efficient. I am conducting research to define how proteins are degraded during the malting and brewing processes. The information thus obtained will then used by collaborators to more efficiently develop barleys that are specifically designed to better fit various end uses. 2. How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? A) Very serious, especially at present. The barley varieties that have recently been grown in the upper Midwest (the cradle of US malting barley production) are all susceptible to attack by the fungus Fusarium, and for the last seven years the crop from that area has been only marginally usable because of Fusarium contamination. If new varieties that have both resistance to this fungus and outstanding malting quality are not developed soon, the growing of malting barley in this area may cease. I need to measure the malting quality of the fusarium-resistant and other lines as they are developed to select the lines that have superior malting quality. B) Fairly serious. It is presently a costly business developing new malting barleys because the breeders must develop, and we have to test, about 20,000 new lines for each one that has quality that is good enough for industry to use it. By applying the biochemical knowledge that we are amassing, we will be able to make the barley development methods more scientific and efficient. This should lower the number of lines that have to be developed and tested, which will lower the development costs and will shorten the time needed to obtain improved lines. It will also allow the development of barleys that are especially suited for varied uses. 3. How does it relate to the National Program(s) and National Component(s)? These research projects relate to the NP 306, and more specifically to the program component 'intrinsic product quality'. They are necessary for improving the quality attributes of barley and of malts prepared from that barley. Either directly, or through collaborators, it also affects ARS objectives 2.1.2.3, plant genome mapping; 2.1.2.5, plant germplasm evaluation; 2.1.2.6, germplasm enhancement and plant breeding; 4.3.3.3, genetic, environmental and agronomic factors relating to the quality of agricultural products; and to 4.4.2, quality measurement methods. 4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? A. Single Most Significant Accomplishment During FY 2000 Year: Malted and analyzed the quality of breeders' and experimental barley lines. The research was carried out to identify barley lines that had acceptable malting quality. We prepared malt from barleys submitted to us by colleagues and collaborators located throughout the US and analyzed 15 quality characteristics of the barleys and malts. Approximately 4,000 samples were malted and analyzed, and, where appropriate, the results were sent back to our collaborators. The information we furnished was used to ascertain which of the breeders lines had sufficient malting quality that they might be commercially acceptable. Characterized the contributions of different proteinase classes to the protein degradation that occurs during brewing to determine which malt proteinases are really involved in degrading barley proteins during brewing, since the amounts of the various protein degradation products can strongly affect beer quality. Used four different chemicals that specifically stop the activities of various protein-degrading enzymes to see how stopping these enzymes affected the degradation of proteins. Three of the enzyme classes degraded proteins, while two did not. This knowledge can be used by barley breeders and researchers to develop barleys that can more efficiently degrade proteins during brewing and by industry to alter some of their methods to vary the amount of protein degradation that occurs during malting and brewing. B. Other Significant Accomplishments(s) if any: Nothing to Report. C. Significant Accomplishments/Activities that Support Special Target Populations: Nothing to Report. 5. Describe the major accomplishments over the life of the project including their predicted or actual impact. A) Each year we have malted and analyzed between 4600 and 5200 barley lines and the data generated by this project have been used by our collaborators to select those lines that show commercial promise and to discard those that do not. All of the new barley cultivars that have been developed by US public sector barley breeders have been selected on the basis of the data we provided. This includes both lines presently being used by industry and those that are now being tested by industry for possible use. Data that we have provided have also been used by collaborating researchers to map malting quality genes on the barley genome and to develop improved breeding methods. B) We have purified and characterized four protein-degrading enzymes from malted barley, together with two proteins that can regulate how fast certain of these enzymes operate. This knowledge makes it possible to use genetic methods and to alter processing methods to regulate how proteins are degraded during the malting and brewing processes. 6. What do you expect to accomplish, year by year, over the next 3 years? A) Each year, another 4500 or so early generation breeders' barley samples, along with about 300 experimental lines, will be malted and their malting attributes measured. This information will again be used by collaborators to select high quality barley lines and to study the genetics of the malting process. B) We will continue to characterize the protein-degrading enzymes of malts and mashes, will continue purifying inhibitors of these enzymes and will study how proteins are degraded during commercial brewing procedures. We will also investigate the proteinases that Fusarium fungi seem to use to attack barley plants and compounds in barley grains that can stop the activities of these proteinases enzymes. 7. What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints if known, to the adoption & durability of the technology product? A) Public sector barley breeders and the malting and brewing industries have been given barley lines that have improved malting quality. Barley geneticists and other researchers have been given information that they can use to apply improved (genetic and molecular biology) methods to more readily develop better quality malting barleys. These technologies are already being used. B) The malting and brewing industries have been given information about the degradation of protein during malting and mashing that allows them to more efficiently produce improved malt and beer. Barley researchers and breeders have been given the same information and can use it to alter the capabilities of future barleys to degrade the proteins of their barleys at different rates, as they see fit. The only constraints to A are inertia on the part of industry; constraints to B are mostly that methods for altering the biochemistry of barley lines by biotechnology methods are still in their infancy. 8. List your most important publications in the popular press (no abstracts) and presentations to non-scientific organizations and articles written about your work (NOTE: this does not replace your peer-reviewed publications which are listed below) Jones, B.L. and Budde, A.D. 1999. Endoproteinases and the Hydrolysis of Malt Proteins During Mashing. In, European Brewery Convention: Proceedings of the 27th Congress, Cannes. Published by the European Brewery Convention, Zoeterwoude, The Netherlands, pp. 611-618. 1999. Jones, B.L. and Marinac, L.A. 1999. Endogenous Inhibitors of the Endoproteinases and Other Enzymes of Barley. In "2nd European Symposium on Enzymes in Grain Processing", the Proceedings of 2nd ESEGP-2 Helsinki, Finland, December 8-10, 1999, eds. Jones, B.L. 1999. Malt Endoproteinases and How They Affect Wort Soluble Protein Levels. In "Proceedings of the 9th Australian Barley Technical Symposium, Pathway into the 21st Century", Melbourne, Australia 1999. Published by the Barley Technical Symposium Steering Committee, pp. 2.39.1-2.39.8. Jones, B.L., Budde, A.D., Goplin, E. and Peterson, D.M. 1999. Study of the Malting Quality of New Barley Selections. Annual Progress Report on Malting Barley Research March, 1999. Published by the American Malting Barley Association, pp. 140-145. Jones, B.L., Budde, A.D., Marinac, L., and Fontanini, D., 1999. Characterization of the Protein Hydrolyzing System of Mashes and Malts. Annual Progress Report on Malting Barley Research March, 1999. Published by the American Malting Barley Association, pp. 146-154. Malting Quality of Barley Varieties and Selections Grown in the Mississippi Valley Uniform Nursery and at Central and Eastern Stations in 1999. A.D. Budde, B.L. Jones, E.D. Goplin, D.M. Peterson and Staff. CCRU-MWA-1047 Malting Quality of Barley Varieties and Selections Grown in Rocky Mountain and Western Stations in 1999. A.D. Budde, B.L. Jones, E.D. Goplin, D.M. Peterson and Staff. CCRU-MWA-108

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

  • Lookhart, G.L., Bean, S.R. and Jones, B.L. Separation and characterization of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) hordeins by free zone capillary electrophoresis. Electrophoresis. 1999. v. 20. p. 1605-1612.
  • Pekkarinen, A., Mannonen, L., Jones, B.L. and Niku-Paavola, M.-L. Production of proteases by Fusarium species grown on barley grains and in media ... . Journal of cereal science. 2000. v. 31. p. 253-261.
  • Mikola, M. and Jones, B.L. Electrophoretic and 'In Solution' analyses of endoproteinases extracted from germinated oats. Journal of cereal science. 2000. v. 31. p. 15-23.
  • Jones, B.L. and Marinac, L.A. 2000. Purification and partial characterization of a second cysteine proteinase inhibitor from ungerminated barley. Journal of agricultural and food chemistry. 2000. v. 48 (2). p. 257-264.


Progress 01/01/99 to 09/30/99

Outputs
1. What major problem or issue is being resolved and how are you resolving it? A) After malting barleys are released and used for a time, they tend to become outmoded and need to be replaced by varieties that have improved malting quality. I work with the public sector barley breeders of the US to ensure that new, improved malting barleys are available to replace those presently in use as they become obsolete. I do this by preparing malt from the most promising new barley lines and measuring which of them have the best malting quality. This information is sent to the breeders and to industry personnel so that the best lines can be carried forward for commercial use. B) Because we know little about the biochemistry of the malting process, new malting barleys have to be developed using an inefficient hit-or-miss process. If we knew more about the chemistry of the malting process, the operation of developing improved barleys could be speeded up and made more efficient. I am conducting research to define how proteins are degraded during the malting and brewing processes. The information thus obtained will then be used by collaborators to more efficiently develop barleys that are specifically designed to better fit various end uses. 2. How serious is the problem? Why does it matter? A) Very serious, especially at present. The barley varieties that have recently been grown in the upper Midwest (the cradle of US malting barley production) are all susceptible to attack by the fungus Fusarium, and for the last seven years the crop from that area has been only marginally useable because of Fusarium contamination. If new varieties that have both resistance to this fungus and outstanding malting quality are not developed soon, the growing of malting barley in this area may cease. I need to measure the malting quality of the fusarium-resistant lines as they are developed to select the lines that have superior malting quality. B) Fairly serious. It is presently a costly business developing new malting barleys because the breeders must develop, and we have to test, about 20,000 new lines for each one that has quality that is good enough that industry will use it. By applying the biochemical knowledge that we are amassing, we will be able to make the barley development methods more scientific. This should lower the number of lines that have to be developed and tested and will shorten the time needed to obtain improved lines. It will also allow the development of barleys that are especially suited for varied uses. 3. How does it relate to the National Program(s) and National Component(s) to which it has been assigned? These research projects relate to the NPS program, and more specifically to the program 306 component 'intrinsic product quality'. It is necessary for improving the quality attributes of barley and of malts prepared from that barley. Either directly, or through collaborators, it also affects ARS objectives 2.1.2.3, plant genome mapping; 2.1.2.5, plant germplasm evaluation; 2.1.2.6, germplasm enhancement and plant breeding; 4.3.3.3, genetic, environmental and agronomic factors relating to the quality of agricultural products; and to 4.4.2, quality measurement methods. 4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? A) Malted and analyzed the quality of breeders' and experimental barley lines. The research was carried out to identify barley lines that had acceptable malting quality. We at the USDA Cereal Crops Research Unit, Madison, Wisconsin, prepared malt from barleys submitted to us by colleagues and collaborators located throughout the US and analyzed 15 quality characteristics of the barleys and malts. 2035 samples were malted and analyzed, and, where appropriate, the results were sent back to our collaborators. The information we furnished was used to ascertain which of the breeders lines had sufficient malting quality that they might be commercially acceptable. B) Characterized the interactions between protein-degrading enzymes of malt and proteins that inhibit their activities. We needed to determine how malt proteinase enzymes interact with barley and malt protease inhibitors, since this would strongly affect whether or not they can degrade barley proteins, and thus affect beer quality. At the Cereal Crops Research Unit in Madison, WI, we used chromatographic separation methods and heat treatments to determine whether or not the protease enzymes and inhibitors were interacting. We found that unless the enzyme-inhibitor was heated to boiling, the complex remained intact, so that the enzyme was not active. This knowledge can be used by barley breeders and researchers to develop barleys that can more quickly or slowly degrade proteins during brewing and by industry to alter some of their methods to vary the amount of protein degradation that occurs during malting and brewing. 5. Describe the major accomplishments over the life of the project including their predicted or actual impact. A) Each year we have malted and analyzed between 4600 and 5200 barley lines and the data generated by this project have been used by our collaborators to select those lines that show commercial promise and to discard those that do not. All of the new barley cultivars that have been developed by US public sector barley breeders have been selected on the basis of the data we provided. This includes both lines presently being used by industry and those that are now being tested by industry for possible use. Data that we have provided have also been used by collaborating researchers to map malting quality genes on the barley genome and to develop improved breeding methods. B) We have purified and characterized four protein-degrading enzymes from malted barley, together with two proteins that can regulate how fast certain of these enzymes operate. This knowledge makes it possible to use genetic methods and to alter processing methods to regulate how proteins are degraded during the malting and brewing processes. 6. What do you expect to accomplish, year by year, over the next 3 years? A) Each year, another 4500 early generation breeders' barley samples, along with about 300 experimental lines, will be malted and their malting attributes measured. This information will again be used by collaborators to select high quality barley lines and to study the genetics of the malting process. B) We will continue to characterize the two protein- degrading enzymes that we have recently purified, will continue purifying inhibitors of these enzymes and will study the way proteins are degraded during commercial brewing procedures. We will also investigate the proteinases that Fusarium fungi probably use to attack barley plants and compounds in barley grains that can stop the activities of these proteinases enzymes. 7. What science and/or technologies have been transferred and to whom? When is the science and/or technology likely to become available to the end user (industry, farmer, other scientists)? What are the constraints if known, to the adoption & durability of the technology product? A) Public sector barley breeders and the malting and brewing industries have been given barley lines that have improved malting quality. Barley geneticists and other researchers have been given information that they can use to apply improved (genetic and molecular biology) methods to more readily develop better quality malting barleys. These technologies are already being used. B) The malting and brewing industries have been given information about the degradation of protein during malting and mashing that allows them to more efficiently produce improved malt and beer. Barley researchers and breeders have been given the same information and can use it to alter the capabilities of future barleys to degrade the proteins of their barleys at different rates, as they see fit. The only constraints to A are inertia on the part of industry; constraints to B are mostly that methods for altering the biochemistry of barley lines by biotechnology are still in their infancy. 8. List your most important non-peer reviewed publications and presentations to non-scientific organizations, and articles written about your work(NOTE: this does not replace your peer reviewed publications which are listed below). "Study of the Malting Quality of New Barley Selections". Annual Progress Report on Malting Barley Research, March, 1999. Published by the American Malting Barley Association, Pp 140-145. "Mississippi Valley Uniform Regional Nursery - 1998 preliminary quality report". Compiled by A.D. Budde, B.L. Jones, E.D. Goplin and D.M. Peterson. "Western Regional Spring Barley Nursery - 1998 preliminary quality report". Compiled by A.D. Budde, B.L. Jones, E.D. Goplin and D.M. Peterson.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

  • ZHANG, N. and JONES, B.L. 1999. Polymorphism of aspartic proteinases in resting and germinating barley seeds. Cereal Chem. 76:134-138.