92
Oat Variety Screening
in the Klamath Basin, 1993
R.L. Dovel and G. Chilcote l
INTRODUCTION
Oats have been a major crop in the Klamath Basin in the past. Although local oat
acreage has declined to about 5,000 acres in Klamath County, it remains an important
commodity in the area. The Klamath Experiment Station has cooperated in the Uniform
Northwestern States Oat Nursery since the 1970's. Over the years, several outstanding
varieties have been identified and adopted by the agricultural industry. Such varieties
include Cayuse, Appaloosa, Border, and Ogle. Most of these varieties are still in use
today; however, there are several experimental lines that appear to have higher yield
potentials than the currently grown varieties. Several high yielding lines are also more
lodging resistant and have higher test weights than current industry standards. The
Uniform Northwestern States Oat Nursery is planted at KES each year to identify
promising new oat lines for release by public and private breeding programs.
PROCEDURES
The Uniform Northwestern States Oat Nursery was established at KES on Fordney
fine sandy loam that is moderately deep and somewhat poorly drained. The previous
crop was potatoes. The crop was irrigated by a solid set sprinkler system. The trial was
arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Seed was planted
on May 18 at a depth of 1 inch and a seeding rate of 100 lb/A. All plots were fertilized
with 100 lb N, 60 lb P 205 , and 44 lb S/A at time of seeding Plots measured 5 x 20 feet
with a row spacing of 6 inches. Bromoxynil and MCPA were applied at labeled rates to
control broadleaf weeds. Plots were harvested in late September using a plot combine
with a 5-foot wide header. Grain yield was recorded for all plots. Test weight was
measured in only one replication.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The Uniform Northwestern States Oat Nursery produced a higher average grain
yield than any other variety trial in Klamath County in 1993. Yields of barley, wheat, and
triticale were depressed by infestations of wheat stem maggot and common root rot,
while oats were relatively unaffected. Oat yields in 1993 were significantly higher than in
1992 and slightly higher than in 1991 (Tables 1 and 2). Oat yields throughout the
Klamath Basin were generally higher than usual, while wide variation in yield was seen
in the other grain commodities.
1/ Associate Professor and Research Technician, respectively, Klamath Experiment
Station, Klamath Falls, OR.
Acknowledgments: Ilenzel Farms provided the off-station site and crop care.
93
The highest yielding entry in 1993 was 87Ab4983, with 83Ab3119, 81Ab5792,
87Ab5125, 83Ab3250, 89Ab6153, 86Ab664, and Ajay (82Ab1142) producing yields similar
to 87Ab4983. The highest yielding commercially available variety in the trial was Ajay
followed closely by Border. Over a three-year period from 1991 to 1993, 83Ab3250
produced the highest grain yield, averaging 5,865 lb/A. Other entries whose yields were
not significantly different than 83Ab3250 over the same period included 83Ab3119,
82Ab1178, 86Ab664, 87Ab5125, 81Ab5792, and Ajay. Seed of both 83Ab3250 and
86Ab664 is being increased in preperation for varietal release in other states. Over a
four-year period from 1990 to 1993, lodging of 83Ab3250 and 86Ab664 was 4.5 and
15.3 percent, compared to 18.8 and 12.8 percent for Cayuse and Border. Test weight of
83Ab3250 was superior to both Cayuse and Border over the same period. Superior yield,
test weight, and lodging resistance make 83Ab3250 a promising oat line. Efforts to secure
its release will continue.
Ajay (82Ab1142) is another variety that may fit some production niches. It is a
semi-dwarf line recently released by the University of Idaho. Commercial quantities of
this variety are now available. It is generally 8-12 inches shorter than Cayuse and is very
resistant to lodging, even at high N fertilization rates. In a N fertility management study
conducted at KES, Ajay produced equivalent or superior grain yields to Cayuse and
Monida at all fertilization rates, and was much less prone to lodging (see 1990 Crop
Research at KES). Due to lodging resistance and high yield potential, Ajay may be a
viable option in high N situations where traditional oat varieties would not be a wise
choice. The short stature of Ajay, 35 to 45 inches, also lends it to use with wheel lines.
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Table 1. 1993 Northwestern Uniform Oat Nursery. Grain yield, test weight,
percent lodging, plant height, and heading date of spring oat
varieties planted at the Klamath Experiment Station, OR.
Entry
Selection
Yield
Test
weight
Lodge
Height
Heading
date
lb/A
lb/bu
%
inches
Julian days
1
2
3
4
5
Park
Cayuse
Otana
Appaloosa
Border
4582
5659
5217
5469
5966
38.0
40.0
41.5
38.0
40.0
30
7
0
67
0
56
51
52
51
50
215
210
210
212
211
6
7
8
9
10
Monida
Ogle
Calibre
81Ab5792
Riel
5497
5797
3757
6460
5321
41.5
39.5
39.0
41.0
41.5
23
0
0
0
2
51
49
55
47
56
215
204
215
208
211
11
12
13
14
15
Valley
82Ab248
82Ab 1178
82Ab1142
Robert
5481
5461
6113
5946
4713
43.0
39.5
40.5
41.0
39.0
20
37
3
0
0
51
51
45
41
56
211
215
208
210
214
16
17
18
19
20
83Ab3119
83Ab3250
86Ab664
86Ab1867
Newdak
6676
6342
6135
5950
5905
40.0
40.0
40.5
43.0
41.0
0
0
20
0
2
48
49
52
42
52
214
215
211
204
205
21
22
23
24
25
ND 860416
ND 852107
87Ab5125
87Ab825
88Ab3073
4870
5316
6429
5884
4100
38.0
40.0
42.0
38.5
50.0
60
17
0
30
0
48
56
54
48
45
211
208
215
214
215
26
27
28
29
30
Derby
86Ab1616
87Ab4983
89Ab6153
IA H61-3-3
3446
4137
7115
6249
4897
41.0
47.0
41.5
42.5
39.0
0
27
27
0
0
60
56
51
43
56
215
215
208
204
211
Mean
CV (%)
LSD (0.05)
5496
12
1030
40.9
12
199
40
51
7
15
211
1
2
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Table 2. Summary of Northwestern States Oat Nursery Yields, 1991 - 1993. Grain yields of
spring oat varieties planted at the Klamath Experiment Station, OR.
Entry
Selection
1993
Yield
1991
1992
2-yr Avg
lb/A 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
Monida
Ogle
Calibre
81Ab5792
Riel
Valley
82Ab248
82Ab1178
82Ab1142
Robert
83Ab3119
83Ab3250
86Ab664
86Ab1867
Newdak
ND 860416
ND 852107
87Ab5125
84Ab825
88Ab3073
Derby
86Ab1616
87Ab4983
89Ab6153
IA H-61-3-3
4582
5659
5217
5469
5966
5497
5797
3757
6460
5321
5481
5461
6113
5946
4713
6676
6342
6135
5950
5905
4870
5316
6429
5884
4100
3446
4137
7115
6249
4897
3262
2983
3054
3861
4222
3290
3839
2352
3684
3586
4496
4179
4978
4461
3275
4730
4502
4840
4705
3985
3323
3045
4642
4599
4040
2417
4466
4548
4052
4928
5255
4337
5841
3286
6119
4660
5661
5352
5856
5798
5264
5861
6750
5946
5242
5535
4729
4113
5779
3922
4321
4136
4665
5094
4394
4818
3055
5072
4454
4989
4820
5546
5204
3994
5703
5422
5488
5328
4945
4097
4181
5536
5242
4070
2932
Main
CV (%)
LSD (0.05)
5496
12
1030
3860
22
1309
5190
12
702
4670
13
592
Park
Cayuse
Otana
Appaloosa
Border
Yield
3-yr Avg
Rank
lb/A
Rank
24
18
20
15
9
17
14
25
10
16
11
13
2
8
23
1
5
4
6
12
21
19
3
7
22
26
4103
4397
4108
4753
5148
4375
5159
3132
5421
4522
5213
4997
5649
5402
4417
5756
5865
5640
5299
5142
4307
4158
5617
22
17
21
14
11
18
10
23
6
15
9
13
3
7
16
2
1
4
8
12
19
20
5
4895
12
475