Question

The botanical name of barley is
A. Avena sativa
B. Hordeum vulgare
C. Pennisetum typhoideum
D. Sorghum vulgare

Answer 1

Hint: Barley plant and its inflorescence look very much similar to wheat plant. The botanical names given here are oat, jowar and bajra along with the barley.

Complete Answer:
- The botanical name of barley is Hordeum vulgare. It belongs to the family Poaceae. It is an annual plant and it grows about one metre in height. After wheat, corn and rice it is the fourth most important cereal crop of the world.
- It was one of the first domesticated grains, particularly in Eurasia about 10,000 years ago. It is used as animal feed, raw material for fermentation for beer production and as a constituent of various healthy foods. It is a good source of essential nutrients such as dietary fibres, vitamin B and minerals like iron and manganese. It is a chief ingredient in beer and whisky production.
- Avena sativa is the botanical name of the oat plant of the family Poaceae. It is used as oatmeal or oat milk for human consumption and also as livestock feed. The common name for Pennisetum typhoideum is pearl millet or bajra and it also belongs to grass family i.e. Poaceae.
- Sorghum vulgare is commonly called sorghum or great millet or jowar that is also a member of the grass family (Poaceae), which is used as food for humans, animal feed, and for the production of ethanol.

Thus, the correct answer is option B, i.e., Hordeum vulgare.

Note: In India, a cooling drink is made from barley that is called sattu. Along with wheat flour barley flour is used for making various food items such as bread.