Abstract: Global climate change is impacting agricultural production systems and the ability to feed a growing world population. While welcomed in cool humid regions, warmer temperatures are exacerbating water shortages in dryland areas across the western United States. The impacts of these shortages on grain and beef production were evident when both dropped because of persistent drought in 2021, foreshadowing the challenges faced by dryland farmers and ranchers. We are developing barley adapted to abiotic stress to support more sustainable livestock production. In spring barley, we have found that the length of developmental stages impact grain yield, forage yield, and forage quality potentially providing resilience to drought. We have genetically dissected traits that could improve drought tolerance, forage yield, and forage quality in spring barley with the goal of improving breeding efficiency for these traits. We are working to develop cold tolerant winter barley to provide a rotational tool for growers to provide potential early grazing, resistance to drought, and increased grain and forage production. A long-term goal is to develop barley suitable for integration into livestock systems.
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