P-25
A preliminary investigation on the use of a rapid test kit to detect the loss
of germinative capacity during storage and handling of barley. The loss of germinative capacity of barley during storage can lead to
significant economic impact to the producers and processors of malting barley.
Several studies have linked loss of germinative capacity during storage to low
levels of pre-germination in the barley samples. A number of techniques have
been used to detect the presence of pre-germination in barley samples being
considered for malting in the hope of preventing the intake of sprout-damaged
barley. However, reports on the mechanism and prediction of germination loss
during storage have been limited. In the present collaborative work, barley
samples were harvested in Canada; some material was stored at 5 C in Canada
(controls) and the rest was sent to China for storage under typical local
conditions. Sub-samples were taken from the material stored in China at
intervals during the summer season and were sent back to Canada for analysis.
Germination, alpha-amylase, and RVA tests were carried out on the control and
stored samples. In addition, physical pearling tests and a commercial test, used
to detect pre-harvest sprout damage in wheat, were carried out on the control
samples. Correlation of the results of this latter test with alpha-amylase
values, RVA results and lowered values of germination after storage was studied.
Samples that showed deterioration during storage were examined by both MRI and
Near Infrared Hyperspectral Imaging (NIHI). The majority of non-germinating
kernels exhibited a sharp interface between the endosperm and embryo in the
ratio images produced by NIHI. The presence of the endosperm/embryo interface in
the absorbancy ratio image is, therefore, likely to correlate with a kernel's
inability to germinate. Further studies on methodologies for the rapid
prediction of loss in germinative capacity are being carried out.
Xiang Yin is the Technical Team Leader for Cargill Malt, Americas, based
out at Prairie Malt Limited, Canada. He obtained his first degree in Engineering
in 1982 from the Dept. of Fermentation Technology, Wuxi Institute of Light
Industry, China, and received his Ph.D. in 1986 from the Dept. of Brewing &
Biological Sciences, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. He carried out his
postdoctoral research at the University of Edinburgh and then at the Grain
Research Lab, Canadian Grain Commission, in Winnipeg. As the recipient of the
1990 Centenary Research Award of the Institute of Brewing, Dr. Yin worked at the
Brewing Research International on beer flavor in the same year. He was an
associate professor at the Wuxi Institute of Light Industry in China for three
years before joining Prairie Malt as Director of Technical Services in 1991. He
is currently the Board of Governors representative for MBAA District Western
Canada.
X. S. YIN (1), J. E. Foster (1), M. Bowers (1), S. Schroeder (2), M. Izydorczyk
(2), A. W. MacGregor (2), M.L.H. Gruwel (3), and S. Abrams (3). (1) Prairie Malt
Ltd./Cargill Malt Americas, Biggar, SK Canada, S0K 0M0; (2) Grain Research Lab,
Canadian Grain Commission, 303 Main St, Winnipeg, MB, Canada R3C 3G8; (3) Plant
Biotechnology Inst, NRC, 110 Gymnasium Place, Saskatoon, SK Canada S7N 0W9.