Field screening of European avena genetic resources collections

Abstract

Oat is a crop with an important European history and tradition. The high value of oat in human nutrition, which is unique among cereals, is widely recognized and confirmed by health claims issued in various countries. It is based on a high content and quality of proteins, considerable content of fat with high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids, high contents of dietary fiber, especially the soluble, highly viscous mixed linked (1->3)(1->4)-ß-D-glucans, which hypocholesterolemic effects, minerals and antioxidants, especially tocopherols, tocotrienols and avenanthramides. The main goal of this paper is on characterization and evaluation of accessions from European ex situ collections for different traits, which are important for the quality of oats in human nutrition. All field experiments carried out in experimental field of Suceava Genebank, during 2014-2016. Field screening of genetic material was performed by using several IPGRI descriptors: days to heading; growth habit; lodging at immature and mature stages; shape of panicle; lemma color; length of panicle; panicle numbers/m2; plant height; productivity; (g/m2); seed weight (g) and test weight (kg/hl). A wide variability was observed for all used descriptors, and some genotypes potentially interesting for breeding programs were identified (landraces and obsolete cultivars).