SELECTION FOR MALT β-GLUCANASE ACTIVITY IN BARLEY BREEDING PROGRAMS

Abstract

A semiautomated method, based on the production of reducing sugars by the action of malt extracts on soluble laminarin, was found to be a satisfactory alternative to impractical viscosimetric techniques for the assay of endo-β-glucanase activity in barley breeding material. The method is rapid and requires 5 g of the laboratory malt that is prepared for measuring other quality parameters. The substrate is commercially available, whereas substrates for viscometry are not.