SOME BARLEY GRAIN AND GREEN MALT PROPERTIES AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON MALT HOT-WATER EXTRACT: II. PROTEIN, PROTEINASE AND MOISTURE

This paper continues the study of variation between varieties in some properties of barley and malt and examines protein-related characters and moisture uptake. Initial rate of moisture uptake was more closely related to enzyme activities than maximum moisture content. Significant varietal variation was found in all characters and this variation was greater than environmental variation with the exception of grain nitrogen concentration. In the endosperm endopeptidase activity was the character most highly correlated with malt hot water extract (HWE).

The combined influence of protein- and β-glucan-related characters was investigated and the relative influence of each group of characters on HWE varied in different sections of the grain. In the endosperm the protein- and β-glucan-related characters accounted for 30% and 60% of the variation in HWE respectively.