title: Enhanced germination of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) using chitooligosaccharide as an elicitor in seed priming to improve malt quality.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study enhanced barley germination by chitooligosaccharide as an elicitor for improving the quality of malt.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Barley germination for both radical and leaf sprouts was enhanced when chitooligosaccharide was added to the steeping water in the first steeping cycle. The activities of hydrolases (α-/β-amylase, proteinase and β-glucanase) and antioxidases (superoxide dismutase and catalase) in the resultant malt were increased in a dose-dependent manner when chitooligosaccharide was supplemented in the steeping water. Maximal promotion was at 1 mg chitooligosaccharide/l for α-/β-amylase and proteinase, and at 10 mg/l for β-glucanase, superoxide dismutase and catalase. Malt quality, including free α-amino nitrogen content, Kolbach index, malt extract content, diastatic power, wort viscosity and the ratio of glucose, maltose and maltotriose, was significantly improved by chitooligosaccharide in seed priming at 1 mg/l.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Application of chitooligosaccharide in the steeping water promotes barley germination and improves the quality of malt.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Ganjingqu, Dalian, 116034, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Weiqiu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Ganjingqu, Dalian, 116034, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Ganjingqu, Dalian, 116034, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhimin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Ganjingqu, Dalian, 116034, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yanxia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Ganjingqu, Dalian, 116034, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luan
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Engineering, Dalian Polytechnic University, Ganjingqu, Dalian, 116034, People's Republic of China. xianzhen@mail.com.
authors.forename: Xianzhen
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0191-9484
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D002686:Chitin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D048271:Chitosan; D063427:Food Quality; D018506:Gene Expression Regulation, Plant / Q000187:drug effects; D018525:Germination / Q000187:drug effects*; D001467:Hordeum / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development*; D006867:Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000254:growth & development; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D036226:Seedlings / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D009844:Oligosaccharides; D010940:Plant Proteins; C493484:oligochitosan; D002686:Chitin; D048271:Chitosan; D006867:Hydrolases
keywords: Barley; Chitooligosaccharide; Elicitor; Germination; Malt quality; Malting