Breeding Winter Oat (Avena sativa L.) Varieties with High Quality

The objective of national oat breeding program is to develop the varieties with high yielding, resistant diseases, drought, cold, and heat stresses suitable for different usages (food, feed, forage). To achieve that goal, a total 284 (232 lines + 52 checks) genotypes were tested under rain-fed conditions at yield, advanced elite yield trials conducted between 2008 2012. During consecutive cycles, yielding acceptable quality promoted. Among traits, protein content (PC), oil (OC), test weight (TW) preferred as selection criteria. Heritability (H) correlation coefficients estimated GY characteristics tested. While H was low (0.38), Hs traits (PC, OC, TW) medium (0.66, 0.68, 0.57, respectively). As correlations interest, statistically significant positive relationships observed TW, OC TW. In contrast, negative associations measured PC, PC Negative low-medium values calculated studied appear be most critical obstacles program. tackle these obstacles, parents, i.e., gene pool, used in crossing block should characterized soon possible enriched introducing new exotic germplasm. We believe by doing so, we can high-quality varieties.