After nearly three decades of barley breeding ups and downs, one thing remains constant: the need for varieties that deliver under western Canadian conditions. That’s why TR22669 — a new semi-dwarf, two-row hulled feed barley — has researchers talking.
Recently registered by Western Crop Innovations after three years of testing, TR22669 was initially developed as a potential malt line. The cross was made back in 2014 by breeder Oriana Grace, and while it didn’t quite make the cut for malting quality, it proved too promising to leave on the bench.
“We saw some really strong agronomic traits,” says John Bowness, the senior research associate leading the program. “So instead of walking away, we registered it as a feed variety.”
Designed for High-Input Success
As a semi-dwarf, TR22669 is bred for performance in high-management systems — think high fertility, manure-heavy fields, and irrigated acres. That puts it in the same playing field as varieties like Esma and Suresh, which have seen growing interest in recent years.
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