To study enhanced barley germination by chitooligosaccharide as an elicitor for improving the quality of malt. Barley germination for both radical and leaf sprouts was enhanced when chitooligosaccharide was added to the steeping water in the first steeping cycle. The activities of hydrolases (alpha-/beta-amylase, proteinase and beta-glucanase) and antioxidases (superoxide dismutase and catalase) in the resultant malt were increased in a dose-dependent manner when chitooligosaccharide was supplemented in the steeping water. Maximal promotion was at 1 mg chitooligosaccharide/l for alpha-/beta-amylase and proteinase, and at 10 mg/l for beta-glucanase, superoxide dismutase and catalase. Malt quality, including free alpha-amino nitrogen content, Kolbach index, malt extract content, diastatic power, wort viscosity and the ratio of glucose, maltose and maltotriose, was significantly improved by chitooligosaccharide in seed priming at 1 mg/l. Application of chitooligosaccharide in the steeping water promotes barley germination and improves the quality of malt.