The LEV barley variety represents a medium-maturing and medium-height variety of the intensive type, characterized by resistance to lodging and grain shattering. The plant belongs to the mutica variety, meaning it is white-grained and awnless, with a 1000-grain mass ranging from 35 to 41 grams. The vegetative period ranges from 76 to 87 days, allowing the variety to mature simultaneously with the standard Skaun variety or 1-2 days earlier. The average yield in the region reaches 34.6 centners per hectare, while the maximum yield recorded in the Lipetsk region was 60.3 centners per hectare.
The variety's origin is linked to individual selection from a hybrid population obtained through complex step-by-step crossing involving the varieties Erich (Germany), Fraser (Canada), and Ponta (Sweden). The plant has an intermediate bush, with non-hairy leaf sheaths, leaf edges, and the upper stem node. The ear is two-sided with a semi-upright branch arrangement, drooping spikelets, and a long lemma covered with a waxy coating of varying intensity. The grain kernel varies from medium size to large, with strong hairiness at the base of the first kernel.
The LEV variety has medium drought resistance but is susceptible to several diseases, including powdery scab, crown rust, red-brown spot, and bacterial burn. The main advantages of the variety include high protein content in the grain (10.6-13.0%) and high grain natural density (450-520 g/l), making it attractive for cultivation in various regions, including the Northwestern, Central, and Central Black Earth regions. It is recommended for cultivation in the Kursk region and other regions with similar climatic conditions.
