The South Dakota State University
Oat Project’s overall objective is to develop adapted oat varieties
for producers in South Dakota and the Northern Great Plains.
Multi-purpose varietal development is essential to maintain and
promote the 380,000 acres of oats in South Dakota and 1.7 million acres in
the Northern Great Plains region. The primary market is retail and feed
grain; however, oats may also be used for double cropping, companion crop,
straw, and/or forage. Desired
agronomic traits include high grain and/or forage yield, yield stability,
high-test weight, grain quality, disease resistance, straw strength, and
maturities adapted for diverse regional environments.
Desired seed traits for hulled oats include a white hull, high groat
percentage, and large seed. The hulless seed traits include a light color
seed, few trichomes (hairless), and large seed.
The quality traits desired by the millers are low oil, high protein,
and high beta-glucan grain. The
equine market prefers a white hull and high protein grain, and the livestock
feeders want high oil, protein, and Relative Feed Value forage.
Currently the program has received grants from South Dakota Foundation Seed
Stocks, South Dakota Crop Improvement Association, and Consortium for
Alternative Crops. South Dakota
Agricultural Experiment Station is providing funds to support the South
Dakota Oat Breeding Program.
The SDSU oat project continues to grow five regional nurseries comprised of
lines from several breeding programs across the United States and Canada.
These regional lines provide our programs with diverse sources of germplasm
as well as additional yield environments.
The data from these regional nurseries provide valuable information
for variety release. The exchange of germplasm and interaction with other
breeding programs in the United States and Canada is essential for variety
development.
Lon Hall
Agricultural Hall 232
Plant Science Department/SDSU
(605) 688-4758