Registration of ‘Atlantic’ Winter Barley

'Atlantic' (Reg. No. CV-354, PI 665041), a six-row, hulled winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) tested as VA06B-19 by the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station, was released in March 2011. Atlantic was derived from the cross VA97B-176/VA92-44-279 using a modified bulk-breeding method. It was evaluated in the Virginia Official Variety Trials from 2008 to 2013 in replicated tests at five to six locations. Atlantic's average grain yield (5349 kg ha(-1)) was higher than the check cultivars Wysor, Callao, and Price and similar to Thoroughbred. Average grain volume weight of Atlantic (60.8 kg hL(-1)) was similar to the check cultivar Price and higher than Thoroughbred, Callao, and Wysor. Head emergence of Atlantic is 7 d earlier than Thoroughbred (the predominant barley cultivar grown in Virginia and the eastern United States) and similar to that of Callao. Earlier maturity is a primary factor determining whether barley or wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is used in double-cropping systems with soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.]. Grain of Atlantic had an average starch concentration (56.5%) that was higher than Callao, similar to Price, but lower than Thoroughbred. Atlantic provides barley producers and end users in the eastern United States with a widely adapted, early-maturing winter barley cultivar that has good grain quality and is highly resistant to powdery mildew [caused by Blumeria graminis (DC.) E.O. Speer f. sp. hordei Em. Marchal] based on its performance in state and uniform winter barley yield trials.