The nutritional value of high-lysine barley genotypes

The protein quality of some improved high-lysine barley genotypes was measured chemically — including amino acid analyses and sequential protein extraction — and biologically in N-balance experiments with growing rats. The increased content of lysine, mainly due to an enhancement of the glutelin protein fraction, and other essential amino acids improved the nutritional quality as the biological value of the protein was significantly higher in the high-lysine material compared to normal. This improvement is undoubtedly of importance to meet the essential amino acid requirement of man as well as monogastric animals.