DWRB 137
A malt-grade release from IIWBR Karnal — the grade brewers pay a premium for, over ordinary feed barley.
Quick facts
- Crop
- Barley
- Type
- Open-pollinated
- Season
- Rabi
- Maturity period
- 130–135 days
- Expected yield
- 45–50 q/ha
- Suitable soil
- Loam
- Release
- Notified 27 March 2018 (Gazette S.O. 1379(E)) by ICAR-IIWBR, Karnal, for the North Eastern Plains Zone and Central Zone
About this variety
DWRB 137 (also called Central Barley 137) is a six-row barley variety bred by ICAR-IIWBR, Karnal, released by the Central Varietal Release Committee and notified on 27 March 2018 (Gazette S.O. 1379(E)). The coordinated-trial paper that names it describes it officially as a high-yielding, stripe-rust-resistant feed barley for irrigated, timely sown conditions of the North Eastern Plains Zone and Central Zone — not primarily as a malt-grade release, though its grain does carry strong malting-quality numbers (90% bold grains, 61 kg/hl test weight, 87.1% malt yield, 4.9% beta-glucan) alongside that feed classification.
Key characteristics
Yield & maturity
Maturity period
130–135 days
Expected yield
45–50 q/ha
Actual yield depends on sowing time, soil, irrigation, weather, seed quality and crop management.
Pest & disease considerations
Advantages & considerations
Why farmers may choose it
- Mean grain yield of 42.49 q/ha in the Central Zone (genetic potential up to 67.44 q/ha) and 37.93 q/ha in the North Eastern Plains Zone, beating check varieties by roughly 5–11% across both zones
- Malting-quality metrics (90% bold grains, 61 kg/hl test weight, 87.1% malt yield) are strong even though the variety is officially classified as feed barley, giving it some flexibility beyond straight feed use
Things to consider
- DWRB 137's coordinated-trial paper (Journal of Cereal Research) classifies it officially as a feed barley for the North Eastern Plains Zone and Central Zone — not for the North Western states this record lists (Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan), and not primarily as the 'malt-grade' release this record's note describes. The malt angle isn't baseless, since its grain does carry strong malting-quality numbers, but the official classification and recommended zones point elsewhere. Worth a second look.
Suitable regions
States this variety is recommended for — check locally, since a state can have more than one recommended zone.
- Punjab
- Haryana
- Uttar Pradesh
- Rajasthan
Frequently asked questions
Is DWRB 137 a malt barley or a feed barley?
The coordinated-trial literature that released it classifies DWRB 137 officially as a feed barley for irrigated conditions of the North Eastern Plains Zone and Central Zone. Its grain does carry strong malting-quality numbers (90% bold grains, 87.1% malt yield) alongside that classification, which is likely why it is sometimes marketed on the malt angle, but that is not its official recommendation.
Sourced from: DWRB137: Six row, high yielding and stripe rust resistant feed barley for irrigated timely sown conditions of north eastern plains zone and central zone — Journal of Cereal Research. editorial policy.