Lesson 2 - Barley

The scutellum (Latin scutella meaning ‘small shield’) is a structure that separates the endosperm from the embryo.

The scutellum is a thin layer of cells connected to the embryo by vascular tissue; it is immediately next to the endosperm. This allows the movement of molecules, such as nutrients between the embryo and the endosperm (and vice versa). The scutellum also synthesises some gibberellic acid (GA), which in turn initiates enzyme production in the aleurone layer. However, the amount of GA produced by the scutellum is minimal compared to that produced by the embryo. There is some debate about the scutellum’s ability to produce enzymes. As with GA production, if it does produce enzymes, the scutellum’s contribution to overall enzyme production is much lower than that of the aleurone layer.

Figure: Barley kernel in longitudinal section