Very high yield, strong agronomic characteristics and excellent quality make the early Bertta a first‑class variety for the cultivation of feed and starch barley — stable performing under northern conditions.
Bertta is an early six‑row barley for Finnish zones I–IV. The growing degree days required for Bertta to reach yellow ripeness is 851 degree days, making it slightly earlier in growing time than the control variety Aukusti.
Bertta’s yield potential is exceptional considering its growing time, and in comparison, it surpasses many later‑maturing varieties. In Finnish official variety trials, Bertta’s yield has been 12% higher than Aukusti, the control variety of early barleys, and 6% higher than Kaarle, the control variety of late six‑row barleys (official variety trials 2015–2022). Bertta has performed well in all Finnish cultivation zones, soil types and yield levels across different years, demonstrating its good adaptability to a wide range of conditions. Particularly good yield results have been achieved in Finnish zones III and IV. According to Boreal’s own trials, Bertta tolerates soil acidity well.
In terms of quality, Bertta is suitable for both feed and starch barley production. Bertta’s hectoliter weight is high and a clear improvement compared, for example, with Aukusti. The starch content of Bertta is good. The percentage of larger grains is high for an early six‑row barley and clearly better than Aukusti. As is typical for high‑yield barley, Bertta’s protein content has been lower than average in official trials.
Bertta’s straw is extremely strong and slightly longer than average. Lodging has not occurred in breeder trials or in Finnish official variety trials.
Bertta’s disease resistance is overall reasonably good. Its resistance to net blotch is excellent, and its resistance to barley Bipolaris blotch is average. Bertta does not have special resistance to powdery mildew or Rhynchosporium scald. The combined amount of leaf blotch diseases and physiological leaf spots has been at a good level in official trials.
Boreal Plant Breeding Ltd Line number: BOR 17695 Added to variety list: 2023
Late six‑row barleys. Source: Official variety trials 2017–2024, px.luke.fi, (M) = control variety
Official variety trials 2017 – 2024, px.luke.fi, (M) = Standard variety
Plant Breeder
Forage grasses, six-row barley
