Malting Quality of ICARDA Elite Winter Barley (<i>Hordeum vulgare</i> L.) Germplasm Grown in Moroccan Middle Atlas

The use of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in Morocco is still limited to food and feed despite the amplified demand by local industries for imported malt. This study aims evaluate 36 elite lines major grain physicochemical parameters malt quality traits. Analysis variance, Pearson correlation, principal component analysis (PCA), hierarchical cluster (HCA) were performed. results showed significant genotypic variation among genotypes individual High broad sense heritability was obtained all traits except plump percentage, friability, germination capacity. Starch, extract, Kolbach index, area, test weight correlated significantly negatively with protein. Malt extract positively index starch, but a negative correlation soluble protein found. Based on 12 characters, 77% total explained three first components following PCA four clusters depicted based HCA. Genotypes high interest desirable levels standards identified be used as donor while designing crossing programs.Supplemental data this article available online at https://doi.org/10.1080/03610470.2021.1978036 .