The presence of debranching enzymes hydrolyzing α-1,6 linkages provides further
substrate for amylolytic attack. Several debranching enzymes have been reported in barley
grain, one appears to be synthesized in a bound form during grain development and released
during germination while the other is synthesized in the aleurone layer in response to
gibberellic acid. The combined effect of α- and β-amylases is the production of maltose,
which is further degraded to glucose by α-glucosidase, also secreted by the aleurone layer.