Seed germination promoting chemical compounds and their potential use in the malting industry

Abstract

Malting of barley grains is a procedure known for centuries, however, the technology of malt production is constantly being studied and optimized. The optimizations comprise different conditions of barley steeping, as well as using different additives to improve seed germination. Among the most famous group of seed germination regulators, gibberellins, a broad spectrum of diverse chemical substances also have stimulatory effects on seed germination. This review summarizes what is known about multiple barley seed germination promoting compounds, as well as other chemical/hormonal seed germination regulators described in other plant species. The goal is to provide an impulse for testing new stimulatory substances with potential applications in malting process optimization.