Genetic improvement of oats with specific reference to winter-hardiness and lodging resistance of winter oats and improvement of naked oats

Abstract

Excellent progress has been made in the genetic improvement of levels of grain yield, resistance to lodging and winter hardiness of winter oats and increasing the yield and naked expression of winter and spring naked oats. Each of these gains is important in improving the economic competitiveness of oats in relation to other cereals and reducing current limitations in production. In each case, the magnitude of improvement exceeds that which could be achieved by improved management practices, highlighting the value of breeding and genetic research in improving the competitiveness of the oat crop.

Lines have been produced which combine improved winter hardiness and improved yield and agronomic characteristics. These lines have been used to initiate new crosses in order to generate superior lines capable of direct commercial development or to use in a convergent backcrossing programme in which several genetic factors for winter hardiness are brought together in a well adapted genetic background.