Abstract: A Genomic DNA and a cDNA of a ?-glucan-deficient gene in a barley and of a ?-glucan synthesis gene in a barley, a barley having the genomic DNA of a ?-glucan-deficient gene and a method for breeding the same, a method for producing an alcohol or a fermented food using barley kernels decreasing or deficient in ?-glucan, and an animal feed composition are provided. A Genomic DNA of a ?-glucan-deficient gene consisting of a base sequence having 90% or more homology to the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and producing a protein lacking a ?-glucan synthesis activity when transcribed and translated, and a breeding method comprising a step of selecting a barley by determining the barley as having a ?-glucan-deficient gene when the base corresponding to position 4,275, or corresponding to position 2,385, of the gene consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 located near the centromere of chromosome 7H of the barley is mutated from G to A.