Barley History and Breeding in Spain

Barley has been and continues to be a crucial field crop in Spain, with approximately 2.4 million hectares planted annually and a production ranging 7–10 million tons. It is a crop well adapted to shallow soils and the harsh winters of the high central plains of the country. Traditionally, animal feed has been the main use for this crop, while an important brewing industry developed throughout the 20th century. This article reviews the most important milestones of this crop in Spain, including its uses, historical yield, barley price, and barley–wheat price relationship. With respect to the collection of Spanish landraces currently preserved in the CRF (Plant Genetic Resources Center) seed bank, two main genetic groups distributed in northern and southern Spain were distinguished. The landraces of both groups are mostly six-row and winter types, but they differ in vernalization requirements, which are lower in southern landraces. The trends in barley production, the most planted cultivars in Spain over the last 70 years, and the past and present-day breeding programs in the country are also reviewed.