EFFECT OF HARVEST TIME AND DRYING METHOD ON YIELD, QUALITY AND GRADE CHARACTERISTICS OF BARLEY IN NORTHWEST ALBERTA

Abstract

Field experiments with three barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars, Olli, Bonanza and Klages, were conducted for 3 yr at Beaverlodge, Alberta to determine the effect of harvest time and drying method on yield and quality. Plots were harvested at 5% kernel moisture content (KMC) intervals in the range of 45–15% and dried in the windrow or artificially dried. Yield, test weight, 1000-kernel weight, germination percent, protein content, phosphorous content and commercial grade were determined. Protein and phosphorous content were unaffected by the treatments. Windrowing at 40% KMC or less had little effect on yield or quality characteristics while threshing and artificially drying barley above 20% KMC reduced test weight and germination. Windrowing reduced yields of Olli and Klages barley by up to 19% compared to direct combining. Most treatments received feed grades, but the crop was most likely to meet Canada Western grades when windrowed at 30% KMC or less under favourable harvest conditions.Key words: Hordeum vulgare L., kernel moisture content, yield, quality