Adopt scientific techniques for cultivation of feed and malt barley

摘要

Rice-wheat cropping system is a major cropping system of Punjab and North-Western India due to high yielding ability and assured marketing of these crops as compared to other crops. Long term following of rice-wheat cropping cycle has depleted the soil micronutrients as well as underwater resources. As the resources are limited, there is a need for changing this cropping system with other crops. Barley is one of the potential crops to replace wheat in light soils. Barley generally requires less irrigations and fertilizers than wheat. Moreover, it can be easily grown on salt affected soils and helps in the reclamation of such soils, where wheat crop can not grow well. Barley grain is used as feed for dairy cattle, poultry, horses, pigs etc. In comparison to corn, barley has more protein, especially, it is rich in amino acids methionine, cysteine, lysine and tryptophan,thus, highlighting its potential contribution in meeting the protein requirements of growing ruminants. Barley is also used to prepare malt and malt based products like beer, whisky, malted shakes, malt vinegar, confectionaries, flavoured drinks and some baked products, such as malt loaf, bagels and rich tea biscuits.