Agronomic Management of Malting Barley and Research Needs to Meet Demand by the Craft Brew Industry

Malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) requires agronomic management that maximizes grain yield while meeting quality standards. The majority of published literature on agronomic management of malting barley is from the US Northwest and Northern Rockies and Plains where barley is traditionally grown. However, the majority of craft breweries are located in the Upper Midwest, Ohio Valley, and Northeast, creating a demand for locally sourced grain. The objectives of this review were to: (i) summarize the current body of knowledge regarding agronomic management of malting barley, and (ii) identify research needs in the Upper Midwest, Ohio Valley, and Northeast. Across all regions, planting date and N management were major factors influencing grain yield and quality. Timely planting of malting barley generally improved yield and quality. Barley yield tended to increase with N application rate while quality decreased due to increased protein concentration. Planting malting barley following corn (Zea mays L.) or small grains resulted in disease problems that could affect grain quality and yield. In the Upper Midwest, Ohio Valley, and Northeast regions, the prospect of double crop soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production after winter malting barley should be investigated, in addition to typical cropping sequences. Agronomic strategies to mitigate the negative effects of late-planting situations are also needed as these regions often have delayed planting due to wet soil conditions. Furthermore, N fertilizer management is much different in humid regions compared with the Northwest and Northern Rockies and Plains, and warrants future research on developing in-season N management strategies.