ISSN 2375-1231
African Journal of Crop Science ISSN: 2375-1231 Vol. 14 (1), pp. 001-010, January, 2026. Available online at www.internationalscholarsjournals.org © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Characterizing Yield and Nutritional Potential in Hull-less Spring Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.): A Multivariate Approach
Firdissa Eticha1*, Heinrich Grausgruber2 and Emmerich Berghoffer3
1National Wheat Research Project, Kulumsa Agricultural Research Center, P. O. Box 489, Asella, Ethiopia.
2Department of Applied Plant Sciences and Plant Biotechnology, BOKU–University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Gregor-Mendel-Str. 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria.
3Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, BOKU–University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences, Mutthgasse, Vienna, Austria.
Accepted 06 October, 2025
A study was conducted to characterize a world collection of hull-less barley using multivariate traits. Significant variations were observed among genotypes in grain yield and grain physical characteristics. Genotypic as well as environmental effects were important for the variations occurred in chemical contents. Total phenolic content ranged from 166.0 to 295.0 mg/100 g ferulic acid equivalent. The total anthocyanin ranged from 3.0 to 284.5 ppm cyanidin glucoside equivalent. Yellow pigment content ranged from 3.9 to 8.7 ppm and protein content from 12.3 to 17.3%. Beta-glucan ranged from 3.5 - 7.4% for barley genotypes. Purple pigmented barley found to have high total anthocyanin content whereas the black pigmented barleys were superior in their total phenolics and yellow pigments. Waxy barleys contained higher levels of beta-glucan.
Key words: Hordeum, hull-less, barley, pigments, Ethiopia.