Winter Oat Breeding for Kentucky

Winter oat breeding for Kentucky Winter oats (Avena sativa) could increase diversity in Kentucky grain rotations, but cultivation is limited due to lack of adapted varieties for Kentucky climates. This proposal builds upon our 2023- 2024 proposal to improve our understanding of winter survival in oats, breed new oat varieties, and assess how oats fit into a double crop rotation. First, we will continue to dissect winter survival dynamics of oats in Kentucky using a planting date study to evaluate contrasting varieties experiencing winter stresses at different developmental stages. This study will give us a clearer picture of oat resilience to winter stress resilience and provide useful information to growers about planting date. Second, we will breed Kentucky-adapted winter oat varieties to enhance winter oat productivity in the state. This part of the project involves all aspects of the breeding program from crosses to trialing advanced lines in multi-location trials. Finally, we are evaluating the viability of winter oats in a double crop system by measuring soybean yield following winter oats, as compared to winter wheat, in both Lexington and Princeton. This will allow us to assess if there are advantages (or disadvantages) to double cropping with oats. Overall, this project addresses KySGGA priorities of breeding new small grain varieties, where oats can be an option to reduce winter fallow and increase rotational diversity.