Enhanced germination of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) using chitooligosaccharide as an elicitor in seed priming to improve malt quality.

OBJECTIVES

To study enhanced barley germination by chitooligosaccharide as an elicitor for improving the quality of malt.

RESULTS

Barley germination for both radical and leaf sprouts was enhanced when chitooligosaccharide was added to the steeping water in the first steeping cycle. The activities of hydrolases (α-/β-amylase, proteinase and β-glucanase) and antioxidases (superoxide dismutase and catalase) in the resultant malt were increased in a dose-dependent manner when chitooligosaccharide was supplemented in the steeping water. Maximal promotion was at 1 mg chitooligosaccharide/l for α-/β-amylase and proteinase, and at 10 mg/l for β-glucanase, superoxide dismutase and catalase. Malt quality, including free α-amino nitrogen content, Kolbach index, malt extract content, diastatic power, wort viscosity and the ratio of glucose, maltose and maltotriose, was significantly improved by chitooligosaccharide in seed priming at 1 mg/l.

CONCLUSION

Application of chitooligosaccharide in the steeping water promotes barley germination and improves the quality of malt.