DEVELOPMENT

UC 603 spring barley was developed by the California Agricultural Experiment Station and released in 1988.

BREEDING HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION

UC 603 is an F5 selection from the cross, Mari/Luther//Traill/2/Briggs/Prato Sib. The parental line, Mari/Luther//Trail, was an experimental short, stiff-straw selection obtained from RA Nilan, Washington State University. The cross was designed to combine early maturity and strong straw with a high level of disease resistance.

UC 603 is a six-rowed, semi-smooth awned, spring-type feed barley. It is an early maturing, short-strawed cultivar with good standability and disease resistance. The covered kernels are short, plump with a white aleurone and a long rachilla with none to few medium long hairs.

ADAPTATION

UC 603 is adapted to all major barley producing areas of California where similar type cultivars are grown. It is an excellent alternative to CM 72.

PEST AND DISEASE RESISTANCE

UC 603 has shown good resistance to scaled (Rhyochosporium secalis), net blotch (Pyrenophora teres) and barley yellow dwarf (BYDV). It is moderately resistant to powdery mildew (Erysiphe graminis) and leaf rust (Puccinia hordei).

FORAGE YIELD DATA

The yield performance of UC 603 has been similar to UC 476, superior to Prato and CM 72, and slightly lower than UC 337.

SEED CLASSES AND PRODUCTION

Seed classes are breeder, foundation, and certified. Breeder seed will be maintained by the Department of Plant Sciences in cooperation with the Foundation Seed Program, University of California, Davis.