Chapters 5.68

5.68 -Adopting barley to adapt to dry conditions.

Blake Thomas, University of Guelph, Canada

Suggested citation for this chapter.

Thomas,B. (2022) Adopting barley to adapt to dry conditions., In Farmpedia, The Encyclopedia for Small Scale Farmers. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.farmpedia.org

Introduction

A close relative of wheat, barley (Figures 1 and 2) is a more adaptable and tolerant cereal crop, making it a good option for farmers facing difficult and dry environmental circumstances. Droughts and dry environments are significantly increasing in different places all over the world, and barley is a crop that can grow in these conditions, making it a good option for farmers living in areas affected by droughts or extremely high temperatures

Fig. 1: Barley Grain Head (Dware and Dware, 2020)

Fig. 2: Barley Grain (MDECA, n.d.)

Barley Survival in Dry Conditions

Barley is a crop that is very good for farmers who have to grow with minimal water. It can endure harsh and adverse environments (Sabra et al., 2023). The minimal water requirement for barley from germination to reproductive phase is between 100 and 125 mm, but it can vary depending on the moisture of the soil (Mckenzie & Woods, 2011). But overall, barley requires around 450-550 m3/Ha of water to grow properly (EOS Data Analytics, 2023). Barely is an adaptable crop that is perfect for farmers as it can adapt to a wide range of climates but is normally grown in temperate and subtropical climates (Sabra et al., 2023). Barley is considered to be one of the few cereal crops that can survive in harsh conditions with only rainwater. can survive environments that are dry, suffering from a drought, or that are too hot or cold (Verma, 2019). Plus, the yields that are produced from barley in these tougher or drier areas are much higher than other large cereal grain crops (Verma, 2019). Barley also grows well with supplemental irrigation in dry areas (Jacobs, 2016). It

Benefits of Adopting Barley in Dry Conditions

There are many benefits for farmers who adopt barley to dry conditions. Highland barley has a high degree of cold tolerance, a short growing period, wide adaptability, early maturity, and high yield (Xie et al., 2023). Highland barley also has good nutritional value. It contains high levels of protein, vitamins, and fibre (Xie et al., 2023). The protein levels in barley are around 27.3%, with dietary fibre levels around 29%, and fat being at 4.57% (Zeng et al., 2018). Another benefit is dry extraction, which is a useful process for enriching certain nutrients in the barley grain. On top of this, it saves on resources like water and energy (Xie et al., 2023). Barley is also a good cover crop, that will preserve the nutrition and fertility of the soil. Barley can also act as a cover crop for other crops (Jacobs, 2016). Finally, excess barley grain can be sold commercially as a cash crop to make malt beer which is in high demand globally.

Smallholder Farmers

Many smallholder farmers produce barley already and make a profit from selling it. For example, approximately 4 million in Ethiopia are smallholder barley farmers (Ganewo et al., 2022). Engagement in contract farming is a way for smallholder farmers to try adopt different technologies that are otherwise too expensive (Ganewo et al., 2022). This can help farmers become connected to markets and be able to sell excess grain (Ganewo et al., 2022).

How Smallholder Farmers Can Grow Barley

Barley is a close relative of wheat, and hence cultivation practices are similar. When planting barley, make sure the area designated planting area is clean and free of weeds (Jacobs, 2016). Barley grows at its best in well-drained soils (Verma, 2019). For how many seeds to plant per acre, one should ask a local cooperative extension for information, as this can depend on the local conditions (Jacobs, 2016). Generally, it is recommended to use around 11 to 18 kg per hectare of nitrogen fertilizer, depending on the native soil fertility (Jacobs, 2016). Barley plants typically require 70 days to fully grow, and then another 6-8 weeks for grain maturity (EOS Data Analytics, 2023). When harvesting barley, use hand tools like sickles, but barley can also be harvested by hand (Akar et al., n.d.). Hand pulling is generally the method used by farmers whose land is small or on a sloped area, especially in dry conditions (Akar et al., n.d.).

Barley grain should be stored under some kind of shelter for only a short period of time so the grain does not get wet (Akar et al., n.d.). Barley grain with a moisture level of 12.5 percent and above can only be stored for about three months in an area where the temperature is between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius. When the grain moisture level is below 10.5 percent, the seeds can be stored for longer, up to 18 months, with a temperature between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius (Jacobs, 2016).

Concerns with Dry Conditions

The main concern with barley in the field is lack of available moisture, which can damage the crop, leading to lower yield (Sallam et al., 2019). The moisture in the soil at the time of planting the seeds can have a significant impact on yield, especially in dry areas (Mokh et al., 2022). A solution to this could be some water-preserving practices, even with minimal resources (Sabra et al., 2023). Some good strategies to help preserve water include the use of micro-irrigation systems that drips water occasionally to the roots (Mokh et al., 2022). Barley can also be at a higher risk of contracting some diseases or virus in drier climates. The most important fungal diseases are leaf and stem rusts and net blotch, and the major viral disease is the barley yellow dwarf virus (Singh Verma, 2019). Some diseases can result in total crop failure (Singh Verma, 2019).

Critical Analysis

Barley can grow in areas that are dry or suffering from drought, but barley still needs water. A lack of water irrigation can reduce crop yields and nutrients. So, water-preserving practices are essential in low-water areas (Sabra et al., 2023). It can adapt to different conditions and does not need as much water as other crops (Sabra et al., 2023). However, barely can be prone to disease in hot and dry or humid climates (Jacobs, 2016).

Conclusion

Barley is a good option for farmers to grow in areas that are susceptible to droughts or are just very dry. The plant is naturally adaptable and resilient to harsh and different weather conditions. Barley is also a good option for smallholder farmers as it grows in a short timeframe and is relatively easy to plant and care for. It is a close relative of wheat, and hence barley grain could be used as a substitute for foods that traditionally require wheat.

Practical Resources to Get Started

Video on how to grow barley: Bing Videos

B

arley farming in Uasin Gishu, Kenya: Bing Videos

Managing rust and diseases that might appear on barley: https://www.accessagriculture.org/managing-rust-diseases-wheat-and-barley

Extra reading on barley: Post_Harvest_Compendium_-_BARLEY.pdf (fao.org)

Growing barley: A-Step-by-Step-Guide-to-Grow-Barley.pdf (mackenzieresearch.ca)

Irrigation requirements: Barley Irrigation Requirements and Methods -Wikifarmer

Barley: Insights You Need To Plant & Grow It Effectively (eos.com)

Strategies to save water: Agronomy | Free Full-Text | Irrigation Tools and Strategies to Conserve Water and Ensure a Balance of Sustainability and Profitability (mdpi.com)

References

1.Akar, T., Avci, M., & Dusunceli, F. (n.d.). Barley - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/inpho/docs/Post_Harvest_Compendium_-_BARLEY.pdf

2.Barley – MDECA. (n.d.). https://mdeca.com.ar/product/barley/

3.Dware, S., & Dware, S. (2020, March 17). What is barley? Where it grows? Benefits of barley. Nepal Kirana. https://nepalkirana.com/what-is-barley-where-it-grows-benifits-of- barley-price-of-barley-in-kathmandu/

4.EOS Data Analytics. (2023, September 29). Barley: Insights you need to plant & grow it effectively. https://eos.com/crop-management-guide/barley-growth-stages/

5.Ganewo, Z., Balguda, T., Alemu, A. A., Mulugeta, M., Legesse, T., Kaske, D., & Ashebir, A. (2022). Are smallholder farmers benefiting from malt barley contract farming engagement in Ethiopia? Agriculture & Food Security, 11(58), 58. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-022-00396-z

6.Jacobs, A.A. (2016). Plant guide for common barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Jamie L. Whitten Plant Materials Center. Coffeeville, Mississippi.https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_hovu.pdf

7.Mckenzie, R. H., & Woods, S. A. (2011, November). Crop water use and requirements. Agri-Facts. Government of Alberta, Canada. https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/9a017865-5692-464d-92ac-93b5d50558db/resource/c0d20e0c-9f14-4f6d-8144-b8a6bc3452ba/download/5485851-2011-agri-facts-crop-water-use-requirements-revised-100-561-1-2011-11.pdf

8.Mokh, F. El., Nagaz, K., Masmoudi, M. M., & Mechlia, N. B. (2022). Management practices assessment using AQUACROP model for growing barley under saline conditions of the arid regions of Tunisia. Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences 32(4), 1053–1061. https://doi.org/10.36899/japs.2022.4.0509

9.Sabra, D. M., Reda, A. M., El-Shawy, E. A., El-Refaee, Y. Z., & Abdelraouf, R. E. (2023). Improving barley production under deficient irrigation water and mineral fertilizers conditions. SABRAO Journal of Breeding and Genetics, 55(1), 211–229. https://doi.org/ http://doi.org/10.54910/sabrao2023.55.1.20

10.Sallam, A., Alqudah, A. M., Dawood, M. F., Baenziger, P. S., & Börner, A. (2019). Drought stress tolerance in wheat and barley: Advances in physiology, Breeding and Genetics Research. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20(13), 3137. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms20133137

11.Singh Verma, R. P. (2019). Barley: Global challenges and perspectives under non-tropical dry areas. Wheat and Barley Research, 10(3), 123–137. https://doi.org/10.25174/2249-4065/2018/85893

12.Xie, J.; Hong, Y.; Gu, Z.; Cheng, L.; Li, Z.; Li, C.; Ban, X. (2023). Highland barley starch: structures, properties, and applications. Foods, 12, 387.https://doi.org/ 10.3390/foods12020387

13.Zeng, Y., Pu, X., Yang, J., Du, J., Yang, X., Li, X., Li, L., Zhou, Y., & Yang, T. (2018). Preventive and therapeutic role of functional ingredients of barley grass for chronic diseases in human beings. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity 2018, 14.3232080. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/3232080