Research
National Barley Cluster 2018-2023

The National Barley Cluster is a component of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s AgriScience program under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

The National Barley Research Cluster brings together twelve research activities from across Canada. The overall goals of the research are to ensure that barley production remains competitive with other major crops in Canada and to improve the quality traits of Canadian barley to satisfy the diverse and evolving needs of our customers.

Research areas within the cluster include variety development, agronomic productivity, disease resistance, quality and performance, and sustainability. See more information about each individual project below.


AgriScience Program: National Barley Cluster (2018-2023)
Variety Development
Activity 2: Breeding two-row malt, feed and food varieties

Project lead: Dr. Aaron Beattie, University of Saskatchewan Crop Development Centre
Timeline: 2018-2023  |  Total Funding: $1,091,067

View Activity 2
Activity 3: Breeding malting and food barley cultivars for western Canada assisted by new technologies

Project lead: Dr. Ana Badea, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Brandon Research and Development Centre
Timeline: 2018-2023  |  Total Funding: $1,685,804

View Activity 3
Activity 4: Breeding barley for high yield and resistance to fusarium head blight for eastern Canada

Project lead: Dr. Raja Khanal, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa Research and Development Centre
Timeline: 2018-2023  |  Total Funding:$1,041,101

View Activity 4
Activity 5: Phenotyping barley breeding lines and germplasm for disease resistance

Project lead: Dr. Thomas Kelly Turkington, Lacombe Research and Development Center, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Timeline: 2018-2023  |  Total Funding: $409,500

View Activity 5
Activity 6: CropSNPs: ultra-low cost genotyping in barley and soy

Project lead: Dr. François Belzile, Université Laval
Timeline: 2018-2023  |  Total Funding: $500,827

View Activity 6

Disease Management
Activity 7: Barley pathogen variation and surveillance: implications for managing disease via host resistance and fungicides

Project lead: Dr. Thomas Kelly Turkington, Lacombe Research and Development Center, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Timeline: 2018-2023  |  Total Funding:$642,864

View Activity 7
Activity 8: Developing barley germplasm with improved resistance to fusarium head blight and other biotic stresses for western Canada

Project lead: James Tucker, PhD candidate, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Brandon Research and Development Centre
Timeline: 2018-2023  |  Total Funding:$2,020,798

View Activity 8
Malting and Brewing
Activity 9: Study of barley quality and process factors that can produce malt with potential premature yeast flocculation

Project lead: Dr. Yueshu Li, Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre (CMBTC)
Timeline: 2018-2021  |  Total Funding:$220,000

View Activity 9
Activity 10: Examination and definition of flavours and aromas and their precursors in malting barley cultivars

Project lead: Dr. Yueshu Li, Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre
Timeline: 2018-2021  |  Total Funding:$300,000

View Activity 10

Feed Barley
Activity 11: Enhancing the competitive value of barley in swine diets

Project lead: Dr. Ruurd T. Zijlstra, University of Alberta
Timeline: 2019-2023  |  Total Funding:$431,941

View Activity 11

Crop Management
Activity 12: In-crop management strategies to reduce the impact of fusarium head blight in barley

Project lead: Dr. Thomas Kelly Turkington, Lacombe Research and Development Center, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Timeline: 2018-2023  |  Total Funding:$508,200

View Activity 12
Activity 13: The influence of preceding legumes and nitrogen management on malt barley yield and quality across Canada

Project lead: Dr. Aaron Mills & Dr. Breanne Tidemann, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Timeline: 2018-2022  |  Total Funding:$450,000

View Activity 13



Past National Barley Cluster: Growing Forward 2, AgriInnovation Program (2013-2018)

Project funders