Why scientists are recommending Punjab’s farmers grow barley

Here is a look at why scientists are promoting barley farming.

Low water consumption, low input cost

Unlike barley, paddy and wheat require a huge amount of water to grow. Moreover, there is more input cost for growing paddy and wheat. For instance, to grow barley in one acre, a farmer would need 35 kg of seeds but for wheat would require 40 kg of seeds. Even the fertilisers required for farming paddy and wheat end up being more costly. To grow barley, 55 kg of urea and 25 kg of diammonium phosphate (DAP) are required. Whereas for wheat, almost double amounts of 110 kg urea and 55 kg DAP are recommended respectively.

Nutritional benefits

According to Prof Dr Omvir Singh, principal scientist, Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley (IIWBR), Karnal, barley has less gluten compared to wheat, which is 80% gluten and can lead to serious health issues such as cancer, kidney damage, and leaky gut syndrome.

Barley provides better nutrients than other food grains. It contains a high amount of active ingredients, such as beta-glucan (5-10%), whereas wheat contains only 1.6% and rice contains 0.82%. It also contains phytochemicals, resistant starch, lignin, ferulic acid, phytosterols, and antioxidants.

Barley also comprises insoluble fibre, vitamins, protein, and other important elements.

Helps with diabetics

With 11.4% of the Indian population and 10% in Punjab being diabetic, barley could be a choice of grain with its glycemic index of 28 comparable to wheat. It keeps the sugar content in the blood low. In addition, beta-glucan also increases the effectiveness of insulin (an element essential for the digestion of sugar) as well as stimulates the production of another hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1, which produces and uses equal amounts of glucose. Beta-glucan makes a jelly-like substance in the intestine which reduces the feeling of hunger. It can also reduce the risk of obesity.

Keeps cholesterol in check

Beta-glucan also provides a base for health-beneficial bacteria and helps in the formation of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) quickly. The SCFA helps in keeping cholesterol levels in check by slowing down the production of cholesterol in the liver and intestines.

The indigestible fibres found in barley keep the gut strong and the liver healthy.

Challenges

Dr P L Garg, former Registrar of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, said more research is required to establish barley as a “superfood”.

Ajit Balaji Joshi, Agriculture Secretary, Punjab, said as far as the Agriculture Department was concerned, Punjab needs an alternative for paddy which is responsible for decreasing the levels of underground water, harming the environment, and pollution via stubble burning.

However, barley is a rabi crop and can replace only wheat. Gurdial Singh, former Director of Agriculture, Punjab, said crores were spent on developing harvesting machines for wheat and paddy. For introducing a new crop, more investment would be required, he added.