constitutes remains of the ovary wall that surrounds the embryo and endosperm in cereals. In cereals, such as barley, the pericarp is fused with the testa (seed coat) to form a thin layer that sits immediately below the husk encompassing the embryo, aleurone layer, and endosperm. The pericarp/testa may be revealed in barley by gently stripping the husk from the grain to show the slightly shiny skin of the grain. With cereals such as hull- less barley and wheat, the husk is removed during the threshing phase of harvesting to leave the grain covered by the pericarp/testa.

The role of the pericarp, particularly with hull-less cereals, is to protect the nutrient-rich endosperm, aleurone layer, and embryo from soil microbes. See aleurone layer. The pericarp also acts somewhat as a barrier to the movement of water into the grain; this may be of interest when conditioning wheat malts before brewing. Some investigations have indicated that the pericarp/testa is relatively rich in polyphenols and tannins, but this is probably of little consequence because the pericarp/testa is a minor component of the grain.

See also barley and endosperm.