What kind of plant is barley: description and characteristics

Barley is a genus of plants of the Bluegrass family, which was cultivated at least 10 thousand years ago. The cereal has beneficial and nutritional properties. It is used as food for both humans and animals, and is used in brewing, cosmetology and alternative medicine.

Many varieties of barley are unpretentious, resistant to pests, diseases and adverse weather conditions. You will learn more about these and other features below.

Biological features of barley

Among the various types of barley there are one-, two- and perennial self-pollinating plants. Common barley is a widespread cultivated cereal. The remaining species grow wild or are rarely cultivated.

Plants reach a height of 30–60 cm, cultivated varieties - up to 90–100 cm. Stems are bare and straight with well-developed nodes. The leaves are flat, 30 cm long, 2-3 cm wide. The root system is fibrous, well developed. The ears are four- or hexagonal, 10 cm or more in height, 1.5 cm in width. The grass blooms in early summer and bears fruit by the end of August.

What does the grain look like and what kind of inflorescence does barley have? The grain is mostly light yellow, length - within 8-10 mm, width - 2-4 mm. The inflorescence of a cereal is a complex spike. The rod itself is strong, with 3 spikelets sitting on it. The outer flower scales are yellow, black or orange.

Composition and beneficial properties

Barley has a rich chemical composition, see the table for more details.

Calorie content of 100 g of product is 288 kcal.

How it grows

It takes an average of three months for an ear to ripen. The favorable temperature when planting a plant is +1…+3°C, but the grain ripens only at +20°C. Varieties that grow at lower temperatures are intended for the northern and high-mountain regions of Russia. In a comfortable environment, the grain reaches 8 mm in length.

By the way. Barley is cultivated in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and beyond the Arctic Circle. In the wild, the grass is found from Tibet to North Africa.

Types and varieties

Agronomists Barley is divided into the following types:

1. Spring - used to produce barley and pearl barley, flour and coffee substitute. This type of grain is considered an early crop, so it is sown at certain times so as not to lose an impressive part of the harvest. Spring cereal is resistant to pests.
2. Winter — drought-resistant, has a short growing season: ripens 10–12 days earlier than winter wheat. The crop has good feeding qualities and produces a high grain yield. This barley is used to make flour and cereals, but the bulk of the grown grain is used for feed purposes. Flaw winter variety of cereal - lack of resistance to cold: the plant dies at temperatures below -12°C.

Popular varieties

Most popular varieties such:

1. Priazovsky - has a semi-erect bush and a cylindrical, medium-loose ear. Mid-season: the growing season is 71–87 days.The variety is resistant to drought and various pests. Has high nutritional value. Distributed throughout Russia.
2. Helios — the bushes are erect, reaching a height of 70–80 cm. The variety has high drought resistance and stable yields in different latitudinal zones. An average of 8,000 kg of cereals are harvested from 1 hectare of planted seeds. Recommended for cultivation in the Central Black Earth region.
3. Mameluke - has a cylindrical long spike of straw-yellow color, elongated serrated awns. The variety was bred in the Krasnodar region by crossing Triumph and Temp. Early ripening barley: ripens in 65–85 days. Included in the list of valuable varieties, it has high yields and tolerates drought well.
4. Duncan — developed using nanotechnology in Canada in 2012. It is used both for the production of cereals and for livestock feed. The height of the barley is 100 cm, it has 14 stems. The number of grains in an ear is more than 250 pieces. Canadian barley is sown for 10 years in a row, and it does not lose its beneficial properties. The plant tolerates drought well, withstanding +60°C, and is resistant to fungal diseases, acid rain and soil salinity. Duncan does not tolerate being around weeds.
5. Vakula (photo on the right) - semi-erect bushes, reaching a length of 70–80 cm. The crop easily adapts to different types of soil and gives good germination. The average yield for the Central Black Earth region is 33.7 c/ha. The growing season is 69–85 days. Grains accumulate up to 13% protein. The variety is used mainly in brewing production and for feeding livestock.
6. The ark - winter barley. The bushes are semi-erect, the ears are short and cylindrical. The variety ripens within 275 days. Productivity - 64 c/ha.Resistant to shedding and lodging, moderately susceptible to drought. The grains contain 13.3% protein. Recommended for the North Caucasus region.
7. Selena Star - has semi-spreading bushes and semi-erect cylindrical ears. Reaches 1 m in height. The variety is resistant to many diseases and pests and is not susceptible to shedding. The ripening period is 285 days.
8. Borysthenes - bushes of medium height (94–100 cm), ears with a slight waxy coating or without it. Productivity - 75 c/ha. The grains are rich in protein. The variety has strong immunity to diseases. The cereal ripens in 288 days.

Take note:

How to make malt from barley

Barley moonshine recipes

How to germinate barley and why it is needed

Beneficial features

The rich composition of barley makes it a valuable health product. Main properties of cereal:

• activates brain function, strengthens the nervous system;
• improves metabolism;
• reduces blood cholesterol levels;
• gently and carefully cleanses the body of waste and toxins;
• makes the skin elastic and firm;
• slows down the aging process;
• strengthens teeth, bones and nails;
• promotes weight loss and weight maintenance;
• with regular use, it increases immunity and has a general strengthening effect;
• has diuretic, expectorant and anti-inflammatory effects.

Cereal decoction is used for inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Application

The cereal is used to make barley and pearl barley, each of which is rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals.

The plant contains a large amount of proteins and carbohydrates, so it is often used as pet food. Barley is used in such industries:

• cosmetology - smoothes wrinkles, tightens and moisturizes the skin;
• folk medicine - for the treatment of gastrointestinal pathologies (gastritis, colitis, gastric and duodenal ulcers), gynecological diseases, cough, sore throat, high temperature as an antipyretic;
• brewing - as one of the ingredients of an alcoholic drink.

Dishes with the addition of barley or pearl barley have a special taste. Therefore, grain is added to soups and side dishes (especially in kindergartens, schools and medical institutions).

Harm and contraindications

If grains are improperly processed, stored or boiled, the product disrupts the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, can cause poisoning. For example, in a damp room, staphylococci and other pathogenic bacteria multiply on the plant.

Important! The cereal crop is contraindicated for consumption if it is individually intolerant, in particular gluten (its content in barley is up to 2.3%).

Conclusion

Barley is a grain crop that is used in various industries: for the production of cereals and flour, as livestock feed, in cosmetology, folk medicine, and brewing. The rich chemical composition of grains makes them healthy and nutritious for humans.

Many varieties of barley are resistant to drought, heat, various pests and diseases. The cereal is unpretentious and hardy; the main thing when growing it is to periodically remove weeds and avoid exposure to low temperatures.