Cereal Chem 58:77 - 79.  |  VIEW ARTICLE
Beta-D-Glucan in Developing and Germinating Barley Kernels.

N. Prentice and S. Faber. Copyright 1981 by the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Inc. 

The levels of beta-D-glucans in barley kernels were followed during the growth of several varieties of barley and in kernels as they germinated over a four-day period. Of the two-row varieties, Birgitta and Piroline, Birgitta synthesized beta-D-glucan much more rapidly than Piroline did. Similarly, the six-row variety Larker developed beta-D-glucan somewhat more rapidly than did the variety Beacon. Of the western types of barley, the six-row Karl showed the most rapid decrease in beta-D-glucan during germination, followed by the two-row varieties Klages and Piroline, then by the six-row variety Steptoe, and finally by Birgitta despite Birgitta's high beta-glucanase activity. This indicated that high beta-glucanase activity by itself may not be a meaningful indication of satisfactory beta-D-glucan modification during malting. Of the midwestern six-row varieties, Dickson, Conquest, and Beacon showed a more rapid decrease in beta-D- glucan during germination than did Larker and Morex.