Barley (Latin: Hordéum vulgáre) is a major forage, industrial and even a food plant in some countries. It is basically grown because of the whole grain.
Barley is one of the first domesticated grains. It originates from Africa (Ethiopia) and Asia (China and Japan). It was used by the ancient civilizations as an animal fodder and food as well as a source of fermentable material for beverages (the most popular is beer). The first recipe dates back from 2,800 BC in Babylon. In addition, barley was also used for various medical purposes. In the Middle Ages barley was very expensive and not that widespread.
However, in Europe they used barley and rye for making bread. Due to its ecological plasticity barley is a widely adaptable crop. It is grown both in polar areas, the high mountain sites of Nepal, Tibet, Punjab and the Himalayas whose altitude is 4,000-5,000 m, the subtropics and the mountain areas of the tropics.
Barley grain has high forage value due to the fact that it is high in protein. Barley is a major brewery crop worldwide. For this purpose, low in proteins and high in carbohydrates varieties are selected.
In Bulgaria this crop reached areas of 4,8 million decares in the past but because of some negative changes in climate and the reduction in livestock breeding, barley land areas decreased twice at the beginning of the XXI century and at present it is grown on an area of about 2-3 million decares. Regarding productivity barley equals wheat; it even has higher yields in certain years. The average yield in the country is about 350-450 kg/decare.
However, considerably higher yields can be gathered from large cultivated areas in certain favourable years.