Abstract
Four barley lines have been selected from 40,000 M2 plants derived from sodium azide-treated seeds of the high β-glucan cultivar Minerva, on the basis of low viscosity of acid extracts of flour. Two lines show a minor decrease in total β-glucan content, and two lines are low in total β-glucan, exhibit rapid endosperms modification and display a mealy endosperm. The thickness of the endosperm cell walls in the low β-glucan mutants is 3.0–3.5 μm compared with 6.5 μm for the parent variety Minerva. One of the low β-glucan mutants, has increased β-glucanase activity which might partly explain the increased rate of its modification during malting. The other mutant, M-737, has approximately the same amount of β-glucanase as Minerva and appears to be a genuine low β-glucan mutant. Malting studies confirmed the important role of endosperm cell walls as a barrier for enzyme dissemination.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
