Plant Variety Licensing Program

The UC-Capay Cultivar

Development and Description

UC-Capay is a two-row spring malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) selected from the cross among ‘29IB20’, ‘Orca’ and ‘ND22202’.  These three genotypes were among the best two-rowed genotypes for malting quality and adaptation to California Central Valley growing conditions when evaluated at the inception of the two-rowed malting barley breeding program at UC Davis.

UC-Capay is a two-row malting barley without sterile lateral florets in the spike. It is also about 20 cm taller and 15 days earlier to heading compared to UC Tahoe.

Yield and Malting Quality

UC-Capay has outstanding malting quality.  It is superior in that regard to UC Tahoe for all environments and years tested.  It showed higher grain yield than UC Tahoe under rain fed conditions, but slightly lower under irrigated trials.

Disease Resistance

UC-Capay has excellent tolerance to CYDV/BYDV, Powdery Mildew and Stripe Rust (significantly better than UC Tahoe and Butta 12 for stripe rust).

Adaptation

UC-Capay performed well in all areas where it was tested in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys. UC-Capay is especially well-suited to rain fed conditions where its yield stability is strongly advantageous.  UC-Capay combines excellent malting quality, low grain protein (about 8 to 10% lower than other varieties), high yield potential, and resistance to the most common diseases in California, i.e. yellow dwarf virus and stripe rust.

Commercial Availability

Barley growers can obtain UC-Capay from commercial nurseries licensed by the University of California.  See Licensed Nurseries List.

The UC Tahoe Cultivar

Development and Description

UC Tahoe is a two-row spring malting barley developed by the University of California and tested in Regional Yield Trials as experimental line UC1409, MP103 and MP103MQ.

UC Tahoe was selected from a mapping population developed to study Cereal Yellow Dwarf Virus (CYDV). This mapping population originated in the cross between Butta 12 and Madre Selva and it was advanced as single seed descend (SSD) without selection. UC Tahoe was one of the few lines identified after the genotyping/phenotyping of the mapping population carrying tolerance to CYDV, and it was further selected for its excellent malting quality and agronomic traits.

Yield and Malting Quality

UC Tahoe showed similar grain yield compared to the Oregon two-row malting variety Full Pint during 2014/15 and 2015/16 Regional Trials. UC Tahoe malting quality was outstanding, similar to the long-term standard quality checks.

Disease Resistance

UC Tahoe has excellent tolerance to CYDV/BYDV and Powdery Mildew, significantly better than Full Pint. It is moderately resistant to stripe rust.

Adaptation

UC Tahoe performs well in all areas where it has been tested in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys; it combines high yield potential, resistance to the most common diseases in California, and excellent malting quality in rain-fed conditions or under irrigation.

Seed Availability

Foundation seed of UC Tahoe is distributed by the University of California Foundation Seed Program to licensed brokers and seed houses twice annually, fall and spring. Off-cycle requests are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Commercial Availability

Barley growers can obtain UC Tahoe from commercial nurseries licensed by the University of California. See Licensed Nurseries List.

The Butta 12 Cultivar

Development and Description

Butta 12 is the first malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) released by the University of California to have completed “plant-scale” malting evaluations and to be brewed successfully by scores of craft brewers.

Butta 12 is a two-rowed malting type with a spring growth habit and is intended for November–December sowing in the Central Valley of California.  Data published previously (Hegarty et al., 2018) showed Butta 12 to have a comprehensive grain yield of 4,168 kg per ha; kernel weight of 48.3 mg per hundred kernels; plant height of 89.8 cm, days-to-heading from 1 March of 32.5 days (about 3 days earlier than UC Tahoe); lodging score of 4.04 on a scale of 1–8; and a leaf yellowing rating of 2.1 on a scale of 1–8 for yellow dwarf viruses.

Yield and Malting Quality

Butta 12 produces a grain yield similar to UC Tahoe and Full Pint.  UC Tahoe and Butta 12 are similar for malting quality.  Butta 12 malt is capable of producing a wide array of flavors.  For distillers, Butta 12 has an advantage over many cultivars in that it is low in glycosidic nitrile.

Disease Resistance

Butta 12 has effective field resistance to five fungi and two viruses that would otherwise pose a threat to the cultivar in its California Central Valley target environment.

Adaptation

Butta 12 is the first two-rowed malting barley released in California to complete robust plant-scale floor malting evaluation and to be accepted by Central Valley and surrounding foothill growers, a commercial maltster, craft brewers, and distillers.

Commercial Availability

Barley growers in California can obtain Butta 12 from commercial nurseries licensed by the University of California. See Licensed Nurseries List.

The Ishi Cultivar

Development and Description

‘Ishi’ barley is a six-rowed feed barley released by the California Agricultural Experiment Station in 2005. The cultivar was selected from the cross of ‘UC 828’ by ‘UC 960’ by Lynn Gallagher at UC Davis in 1994. Ishi is meant to be sown in the Central Valley and surrounding foothills in November or December.

A single F5 head row was selected, harvested, and placed into a preliminary grain yield trial as PYT99-A13 at UC Davis during the 1998/99 growing season. Subsequently the line was designated UC 1047 and placed into California statewide grain yield trials and tested for 5 years. Ishi is heterogeneous for rough and smooth awns, having less than 1% smooth awns. The spike is waxy and semi-erect. Kernel weight averaged 46.5 mg over 13 environments and was about one mg more than that observed for UC 933 and one mg less than for UC 937. The kernels are covered and the aleurone is transparent (non-blue) just like UC 933 and UC 937. The grains are long (>10mm), semiwrinkled, and without hairs on the ventral furrow. Rachilla hairs are long. Resistance to shattering is good and similar to UC 933 and UC 937. No reports of necking (head fall because of peduncle breakage) such as plagued UC 937 have been received but harvesting should be done in a timely manner because barley does not have the persistent standability that one observes for wheat.

Adaptation

Ishi is an intermediate statured semidwarf, averaging 33.3 in and is similar to UC 937 and one and one-half inches taller than UC 933., averaged over 32 location -years in Central Valley and Central Coast environments. For lodging resistance Ishi averaged between 4 and 14 % and was superior to UC 937 but similar to UC 933 over 20 environments where lodging occurred. For days to heading Ishi averaged 4 days earlier than UC 937 and 3 days later than UC 933 but for time to maturity all three cultivars were similar in 5 tests at UC Davis.

Pest and Disease Resistance

Ishi is moderately resistant to Barley yellow dwarf virus, powdery mildew, net blotch, and scald. Ishi is moderately susceptible to leaf rust which usually occurs too late to reduce grain yield. Ishi is resistant to pathotypes of stripe rust existing in the Central Valley of California as a result of the resistance acquired from UC 960.

Yield Data

In pre-2006 grain yield tests (10 trials) in the San Joaquin Valley, Ishi averaged 6,069 lb/ac which was 9% more than ‘UC 933’ and 12.4% more than ‘UC 937’. In the Sacramento Valley (10 trials), Ishi averaged 6,487 lb/ac which was 5.9% more than ‘UC 933’ and 12.6% more than ‘UC 937’. In rainfed environments (12 trials) Ishi averaged 2,796 lb/ac which was 91% of UC 933 and was similar to UC 937, indicating no advantage for Ishi in low rainfall, dryland situations. Over 26 grain yield tests from 2004 through 2007, Ishi was the highest grain yielding UC cultivar averaging 4,328 lb/acre. Test weight (31 location-years) averaged above 48 lb/bu and were not significantly different from those measured for UC 933 and UC 937. Over 23 environments from 2004 through 2007 Ishi averaged 49.8 lb/bu which was similar to the test weights observed for UC 933 and UC 937 but inferior to the early heading cultivar UC 969 (52.2 lb/bu) and ‘Tamalpais” hulless at 55.2 lb/bu

Commercial Availability

Barley growers in California can obtain Ishi from commercial nurseries licensed by the University of California. See Licensed Nurseries List.

The Tamalpais Cultivar

Development and Description

‘Tamalpais’ is a naked grained (hulless) spring food/feed barley released by the California Agricultural Experiment Station in 2008. Tamalpais is adapted to the Central Valley and surrounding foothills with sowing in November through December.

Tamalpais barley was selected from the hybridization of the ICARDA/CIMMYT barley line Ataco/Achira//Higo (CMB 91A-1192-AL) with ‘UC960’ in 1997. A final head row was selected in the F5 by Lynn Gallagher, UC Davis barley breeder, and placed into a preliminary grain yield trial in 2002. In 2003 the selection was designated UC1134 and placed into California statewide grain yield trials for evaluation. Kernels are short (<8mm) and the aleurone is transparent (non-blue). In absence of the hull, the grain weight of Tamalpais at 39.3 mg/kernel was less than that observed for UC 933 (41.1 mg/kernel), UC 969 (41.1 mg/kernel), and Ishi (43.1 mg/kernel) in eight trials. Resistance to shattering is good and not significantly different from other UC cultivars. For time to heading Tamalpais was 7 days later than UC 969, one day later than UC 933 and two days earlier than Ishi. For days to maturity Tamalpais was six days later than UC 969 and one and one-half days earlier than Ishi but similar to UC 933. The only observations for heading time and maturity during four years were made at UC Davis. As a new specialty crop the grower may like to find a new market for his naked grained barley. Use in soups, rustic bread, pet food or as a bird feed (preferred over wheat by pigeons) are among the possibilities.

Adaptation

Tamalpais is not meant to replace ‘UC 933’ or ‘Ishi’, which are both hulled semidwarf spring barleys, but to supplement them, thereby giving growers greater choices depending on marketability or end use of a potentially new product. Plant height was measured in 26 environments. For stature Tamalpais averaged 28.8 inches but varied widely from 17 to 39 in height depending mostly upon available soil moisture. Stature for other varieties averaged as follows: UC 933 (30.2 in), UC 969 (31.8 in), and Ishi (30.5 in). Only UC 969 is not a semidwarf barley. In 13 trials where lodging occurred, Tamalpais was similar to UC 969 with about 4 to 14% lodging whereas UC 933 and Ishi had 15 to 29% lodging on average. Hence Tamalpais has good lodging resistance.

Pest and Disease Resistance

Resistances to common California barley diseases are generally good. In 14 trials where leaf yellowing was observed because of Barley yellow dwarf virus, no significant differences were found among the varieties Tamalpais, UC 933, UC 969 and Ishi. Leaf yellowing was minimal. Small amounts of stripe rust have been observed in the trials and on average differences among varieties were not significant. However the highest level of infection (worst case) was as follows: Tamalpais (3.3), UC 933 (1.7), UC 969 (4.3), and Ishi (2.3) on a 1 to 8 scale wherein 1=0 to 3%, 2=4 to 14%, 3=15 to 29%, and 4=30 to 49% coverage of the flag (highest) leaf. These infections may arrive late in the growing season and may not cause a reduction in grain yield.

However abundant stripe rust has been found on susceptible barleys and may very be serious if it arrives by late February and conditions are ideal for the spread of the disease. The resistance of these varieties in the past is not a guarantee of future results. So far the resistance has held up.

Scald levels were low on the four above cultivars over the last four years and no significant differences have been observed among them. The worst observation on Tamalpais was less than 4% coverage of the flag leaf in one of 26 trials. In 8 of 26 trials leaf rust was scored. In the worst infection scenario for leaf rust, the following scores were noted: Tamalpais (1.0), UC 933 (5.8), UC 969 (2.0), and Ishi (3.5). The same scale above was used as noted above with 5=50 to 69% coverage of the flag leaf.

Generally leaf rust arrives quite late in the growing season and little or no grain loss occurs. Tamalpais does demonstrate good resistance to leaf rust.

Powdery mildew was observed in only two of 26 trials and each time Tamalpais had less than 3% flag leaf coverage. There are not enough data to draw a conclusion about resistance to powdery mildew.

Yield Data

Tamalpais has been tested for grain yield over the last four years through the 2007 harvest. Grain yield over 26 trials averaged 4,022 lb/acre which was less than ‘Ishi’ having 4,328 lb/ac and UC933 having 4,194 lb/ac but more than UC969 having 3,852 lb/ac. No adjustment was made for the loss of hulls, which may account for about 12.5% of total weight, in these measurements. Tamalpais hulless barley does not thresh as well as wheat and small or “pinched” grains may not thresh at all, but appropriately cleaned, plump grain should thresh well above 90% free. As a result of nakedness Tamalpais has a very high test weight for barley. Over 23 environments Tamalpais averaged 55.2 lb/bu compared to the following hulled barleys: UC969 (52.2 lb/bu), Ishi (49.8 lb/bu), and UC933 (49.6 lb/bu).

Commercial Availability

Barley growers in California can obtain Tamalpais from commercial nurseries licensed by the University of California. See Licensed Nurseries List.

The UC Schaller Cultivar

Development

‘UC-Schaller’ is a spring six row hooded barley developed for use in forage mixtures or as a dual purpose (forage/grain) barley developed by Dr. Lynn Gallagher at UC Davis and released in 2020. It is adapted to the Central Valley and  San Joaquin Valley.

Breeding History and description

The pedigree of UC-Schaller is K215//Sara/Tango.  K215 was an elite spring 6 row hooded forage line derived from the cross that included Hooded Atlas, which was developed by Dr. C. W. Schaller, former UC Davis barley breeder.  The Sara/Tango cross was obtained from Oregon State University (OSU).  Joey Gonsalves of Stanislaus Farm Supply selected several sister lines to test in collaboration with Oly Cantu of Arizona Plant Breeders.  Schaller was tested in regional grain trials in 2013 as UC1355 along with its sister lines. UC-Schaller was selected by Mr. Gonzales was for its resistance to BYDV over several seasons.  It continued to tested in the regional trials in 2014 and 2016. It was also tested in forage trials in Davis in 2017 and 2018 by Dr. Cal Qualset.   It is on average 5.5 in. taller and heads 9.8 days later than UC 933.

Adaptation

As a hooded barley, Schaller does not have awns that can be harmful to grazing animals.   The later maturity of Schaller makes it better suited for forage and for mixtures with later maturing oat and wheat.

Pest and Disease

Schaller is more resistant to Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) and barley stripe rust (BSR) than Ishi, Max, UC603 and UC933. It is moderately susceptible to scald. It is also moderately susceptible to Shark herbicide at early growth stages.

Yield data

In forage trials, Schaller produced similar biomass, matured later, was taller, and had less lodging than UC933 barley. Schaller is similar in grain yield to UC six row awned barley varieties Max, Tamalpais, UC603, but lower than Ishi, UC 933, and UC1280 (UC Tehama).  Schaller is among the tallest and latest maturing barley varieties but less susceptible to lodging than Ishi and UC1280 (UC Tehama).

Commercial Availability

Barley growers in California can obtain UC Schaller from commercial nurseries licensed by the University of California. See Licensed Nurseries List.

The UC Tehama Cultivar

Development

UC Tehama (tested as UC1280) is a spring six row hulled and smooth awned feed barley developed for late fall planting in marginal (dry farming) environments of the Central Valley and the south-central coastal regions of California.  It has similar yield and higher test weight compared to Ishi. It was released by UC Davis in 2021.

Breeding History and description

The pedigree of UC1280 is UC969//UC969/UC933. UC933 (reg no. CV-304, PI614822) and UC969 (Reg. no. CV‐305, PI 619353) are both six row spring feed barley varieties released in 2001 by the California Agricultural Experiment Station and developed by the late barley breeder, Dr. Lynn Gallagher. UC933 is a variety with medium early maturity for late fall planting in the Central Valley and the south-central coastal regions of California and for spring planting in the intermountain region of northern California (Crop Science 43:437 2003). UC933 was selected from the cross Sma1/Sunbar 401/3/Gus/Kombyne//Sma1 and released primarily for resistance to barley stripe rust, but is moderately susceptible to barley leaf rust.

UC Tehama was tested as UC1280 in the Barley Regional Trials in years 2011, 2012-2016, 2019.

Adaptation

UC Tehama is adapted to marginal unirrigated (dry farmed) land primarily in Yolo, Butte and Tehama counties.  This taller variety performs better than other varieties with consistent high yield, test weight and disease resistance.  It can be prone to lodging under high inputs.

Pest and Disease

Based on observational ratings from the UC Regional Barley Trials throughout different sites and years, UC Tehama shows resistance to several diseases important in California including Barley Stripe Rust (BSR), Barley Leaf Rust (BLR), Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV), Powdery Mildew (PM), Scald, and Net Blotch (NB).

Yield data

UC Tehama performs consistently well for yield, test weight and 1000 kernel weight throughout the California regions in which it was evaluated.  It is similar in yield to Ishi, Tamalpais, UC603 and UC933. UC1280 has higher test weight than Ishi and UC933.

Commercial Availability

Barley growers in California can obtain UC Tehama from commercial nurseries licensed by the University of California. See Licensed Nurseries List.

The UC 933 Cultivar

DEVELOPMENT

The spring barley ‘UC 933’ is a six-rowed, semidwarf, feed barley which is meant to be sown in the Central Valley and surrounding foothills of California in November or December. UC 933 was released by the California Agricultural Experiment Station in 2001.

BREEDING HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT

The initial parental cross was made by Robert Matchett, who provided subsequent generation seed samples to UC Davis for testing. In the 1992 a single head row was selected by Lynn Gallagher, UCD barley breeder, for agronomic performance and designated as UCD 92-10,585 for preliminary grain yield trials. The next year UCD 92-10,585 was placed into California regional trials and evaluated from 1994 through 2001. The spike of UC 933 is rough awned, mid-dense, waxy and semierect. The hulls are beige with a transparent aleurone (non-blue). Test weight averaged 49.6 lb/bu in 23 trials from 2004 through 2007. Kernel weight averaged about 40.5 mg. Kernels were long(>10mm) and slightly wrinkled with hairs on the ventral furrow. Rachilla hairs are long.

ADAPTATION

UC 933 is an intermediate statured semidwarf averaging 33.9 inches in the trials between 1994 through 2001. It was about one inch shorter than UC 937 and 3 to 4 days earlier to head.

PEST & DISEASE RESISTANCE

For diseases UC 933 is moderately resistant to Barley Yellow dwarf virus, powdery mildew, scald and net blotch races excluding those in the Tehama area. UC 933 is moderately susceptible to leaf rust which usually arrives too late to reduce grain yield. More recently UC 933 has been shown to be highly susceptible to the foliar disease net blotch in Tehama County and is not recommended for growing in that area. In addition UC 933 was resistant to pathotypes of stripe rust commonly found in the Central Valley when the trials were carried out. In two years of testing for resistance to stripe rust at Cochabamba, Bolivia, UC 933 was scored as ‘trace resistant and 5% moderately susceptible” compared to 100% susceptible and 90% susceptible for ‘UC 828’.

YIELD DATA

In grain yield tests (15 trials) in the San Joaquin Valley, UC 933 averaged 5,317 lb/acre which was 8% more than ‘UC 937’. In the Sacramento Valley (13 trials), UC 933 averaged 5,228 lb/acre which was 16% more than UC 937. In lower yielding rainfed environments (16 trials) UC 933 averaged 2,886 lb/acre which was 14% more than UC 937. Subsequent to the release of UC 933, grain yield trials continued to compare UC 933 with more recently developed varieties. From 2004 through 2007 in 26 California trials averaged over three macro-environments (Sac. Valley, San Joaquin Valley and rainfed), UC 933 yields averaged 4,194 lb/acre compared the following varieties and yields: UC 937 about 3,958 lb/acre, ‘UC 969’ ( earliest heading with highest hulled test weight) 3,852 lb/acre, Ishi (aka UC 1047) 4,328 lb/acre, and ‘Tamalpais’ (aka UC 1134, the naked grained or hulless barely with very high test weight) 4,022 lb/acre.

Commercial Availability

Barley growers in California can obtain UC 933 from commercial nurseries licensed by the University of California. See Licensed Nurseries List.

The UC 937 Cultivar

DEVELOPMENT

UC 960 was developed by Dr. Robert Matchett after the termination of the Northrup King barley breeding program in Woodland, CA.

BREEDING HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION

UC 960 has the parentage Gus/Kombyne//Smal/3/Smal/SB 401. Smal has the parentage Steptoe/2*Diamant/3/Minn Dwarf 64,98-8/Briggs/4/Asse.

UC 960 is mid-season maturing, short statured, six-rowed with rough awns.

ADAPTATION

UC 960 is intended for spring planting in the Klamath Basin of northern California, southern Oregon, and adjacent areas for use as a feed barley. It will provide growers in that area with a higher yielding alternative to other varieties in the presence of stripe rust epidemics.

PEST AND DISEASE RESISTANCE

UC 960 is moderately resistant to stripe rust (P.striiformis f. sp. Hordei) and Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV).

FORAGE YIELD DATA

In tests where stripe rust was at epidemic levels, UC 937 yielded 9,020 lbs/acre.

Commercial Availability

Barley growers in California can obtain UC 937 from commercial nurseries licensed by the University of California. See Licensed Nurseries List.

The UC 960 Cultivar

DEVELOPMENT

UC 960 was developed by Dr. Robert Matchett after the termination of the Northrup King barley breeding program in Woodland, CA.

BREEDING HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION

UC 960 has the parentage Gus/Kombyne//Smal/3/Smal/SB 401. Smal has the parentage Steptoe/2*Diamant/3/Minn Dwarf 64,98-8/Briggs/4/Asse.

UC 960 is mid-season maturing, short statured, six-rowed with rough awns.

ADAPTATION

UC 960 is intended for spring planting in the Klamath Basin of northern California, southern Oregon, and adjacent areas for use as a feed barley. It will provide growers in that area with a higher yielding alternative to other varieties in the presence of stripe rust epidemics.

PEST AND DISEASE RESISTANCE

UC 960 is moderately resistant to stripe rust (P.striiformis f. sp. Hordei) and Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV).

FORAGE YIELD DATA

In tests where stripe rust was at epidemic levels, UC 937 yielded 9,020 lbs/acre.

Commercial Availability

Barley growers in California can obtain UC 960 from commercial nurseries licensed by the University of California. See Licensed Nurseries List.

The UC 969 Cultivar

DEVELOPMENT

The spring barley ‘UC 969’ is a six-rowed, feed barley which is meant to be sown in the Central Valley and surrounding foothills of California in November or December. UC 969 was released by the California Agricultural Experiment Station in 2001.

BREEDING HISTORY & DEVELOPMENT

The initial parental cross was made by Y.P. Puri, UC Davis barley breeder in 1991. An F4 head row was selected by Lynn Gallagher in 1995, designated UCD 95-2,407 and placed in a preliminary grain yield trial to assess agronomic performance. In 1996 the selection was designated UC 969 and placed into California regional grain yield trials. Heading time for UC 969 was three days earlier than UC 603 and eight days earlier than UC 933 and UC 937 in the first testing period with observations only at Davis. The kernels of UC 969 are hulled and the aleurone is transparent (non-blue). Grains are long (>10mm), slightly wrinkled, and have no hairs on the ventral furrow. Rachilla hairs are long. The appeal of UC 969 is earliness to head and high test weight combined with good but not the highest potential in grain yield. The spike of UC 969 is smooth awned, mid-dense, semi-erect, and heterogeneous for glossy or waxy spikes. Kernel weight for UC 969 averaged 40.7 mg/kernel . Test weight was very high and superior to that observed for UC 603, UC 933 and UC 937. For test weight from 2004 through 2007 over 23 environments, UC 969 averaged 52.2 bu/acre compared to ‘Tamalpais’ aka UC1134 (55.2 bu/ac), ‘Ishi’ aka UC 1047 (49.8 bu/ac), UC 933 (49.6 bu/ac), and UC 937 (49.5 bu/ac).

ADAPTATION

UC 969 is meant to replace UC 603 in environments where early heading is desirable but UC 969 does not have the short, stiff straw which is characteristic of UC 603. UC 969 was taller (35.5 in) than the two semidwarf cultivars; UC 933 (33.1 in) and UC 937 (33.5 in) averaged over 25 location-years in the Central Valley and Central Coast environments. For lodging resistance UC 969 is inferior to UC 603 and similar to or superior to the two above semidwarfs.

PEST & DISEASE RESISTANCE

UC 969 is moderately resistant to Barley yellow dwarf virus, leaf rust, scald, net blotch, and powdery mildew. UC 969 is moderately susceptible to existing pathotypes of stripe rust, but maintains a very high test weight suggesting no loss of grain yield.

YIELD DATA

In 43 grain yield trials from 1997 through 2001, UC 969 averaged 4,436 lb/acre, which was 15.3% more than UC 603 and 12.7% more than UC 937. Remarkably UC 969 averaged 100% of UC 933 for grain yield summed over all environments. Whereas UC 933 and UC 937 are semidwarfs, UC 969 is not a semidwarf but is of intermediate stature with good straw strength. While UC 933 and UC 937 were resistant to stripe rust, UC 969 and UC 603 were both moderately susceptible but escaped grain yield loss because of their earliness to heading and maturity. From 2004 through 2007, UC 969 was compared to more recently developed UC varieties. In 26 environments UC 969 yielded 3,852 lb/acre compared to the following for other varieties: UC 937 (3,958 lb/acre), UC 933 (4,194 lb/acre), UC 1047 ‘Ishi’ (4,328 lb/acre), and UC 1134 ‘Tamalpais’ hulless (4,032 lb/acre). Hence with further testing, UC 933 expressed greater grain yield potential than UC 969 as would be expected given the greater earliness of UC 969.

Commercial Availability

Barley growers in California can obtain UC 969 from commercial nurseries licensed by the University of California. See Licensed Nurseries List.