Cereal Chem 53:839 - 845.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Amino Acid Composition of Barley Kernels from Different Parts of the Spike.

Y. Pomeranz, D. M. Wesenberg, R. T. Smith, G. S. Robbins, and J. T. Gilbertson. Copyright 1976 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

Kernel weight, protein contents , and amino acid composition were determined in five widely different barley cultivar; in kernels from top, middle, and bottom portions of spikes of five cultivars; in lateral and median kernels from six-rowed selections; and in corresponding two-rowed isogenic lines. Kernels from the middle of the barley spike were largest and from the top smallest. Position on the spike had no significant effect on protein content or amino acid composition. Kernels from two-rowed isogenics were larger and higher in protein than kernels from six-rowed isogenics. Proteins in two-rowed isogenics contained more glutamic acid, proline, and phenylalanine, and less of most of the other amino acids than proteins of six- rowed isogenics. Similarly, median kernels were larger and higher in protein than lateral kernels; proteins in median kernels contained more glutamic acid, proline, and phenylalanine. Lysine was significantly associated with arginine and valine for all spike positions and with histidine for all isogenic lines.