The influence of barley storage on respiration and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase during malting

Malt is produced by the controlled, but limited germination of barley. To produce good quality malt, the barley employed must be able to germinate rapidly and synchronously. Dormancy is a seed characteristic that can interfere with the rapid and uniform germination of barley, thereby reducing the resultant malt quality. Various studies have shown that post harvest storage can be used to remove dormancy and enhance barley germination characteristics and malt quality. Because of its complexity, the fundamental basis of dormancy induction, maintenance and termination remain unknown. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) is the rate limiting enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway and has been associated with dormancy decay and increased seed vigor of a variety of different seeds. The aim of this study was to determine if changes in barley germination vigour were associated with respiration and/or G6PDH changes during malting. Commercially grown barley (cv. Gairdner) was obtained from various states of Australia and stored at room temperature for up to 7 months. At 1, 3 and 7 months, samples were taken and stored at -18°C. The germinative energy (GE) and germinative index (GI) of these samples were measured. Samples were micro-malted and the ?-amylase activity, respiration rate, and G6PDH activity of the germinating grains were measured at various stages of malting. It was found that storage of barley for up to seven months significantly improved the germination characteristics and increased the ?-amylase activity during malting. However, these improvements were not associated with concomitant changes in respiration rate or G6PDH activity during malting.