Variability of the parameters of technological quality in the Slovak spring barley gene pool

The total 43 Slovak spring barley genotypes with a year of cultivation or registration from 1938 to 2009 were evaluated in terms of selected parameters like protein, starch, and β-glucan contents. Collection of genetic resources consisted of barley malting qualities such as elite - A, standard quality - B, no malting quality - C and five genotypes of unspecified malting quality. Significant (P < 0.01) influence of genotype and environmental conditions (years) and also genotype × year interaction on protein, starch, and β-glucan content in the barley grain were detected. The highest average protein content was observed in genotypes from the group with undetermined malting quality. The protein and β-glucan contents in older genotypes were higher in comparison with more recent genotypes. The average starch content in both older and modern genotypes in the studied set was nearly identical, which confirms a high quality of the older malting varieties. According to malting quality groups, the highest average value of β-glucan content was in the group of no malting quality (C) and the lowest in the group of best malting quality (A), which is in correspondence with barley malting quality requirements. In individual years differences in the β-glucan content were found among genotypes. Despite the atypical years, good sources of β-glucan were found out along with modern genotypes such as Cyril and older genotypes such as Orbit and Vladan, but also historically old genotypes were created in the year 1946 such as Diosecký 802 and Slovenský Dunajský trh. Our study has confirmed that these genotypes are donors of not only significant agronomic traits but also qualitative properties, usable in the food industry.