Performance of Avena sativa L./Avena fatua L. Backcross lines

Summary

Although wild oats (Avena fatua L.) have been considered a potential source of genes for cultivated oat (Avena sativa L.) improvement, most progenies of A. sativa/A. fatua crosses have weak straw and are very susceptible to crown rust (Puccinia coronata CDA. var. avenae Fraser and Led.). Backcrossing to A. sativa has been suggested as a method of improving progeny lines while introducing new genes from wild oats to cultivated oats. In this study, A. sativa/A. fatua F₁ hybrids were backcrossed twice to A. sativa, and lines from three backcross populations were selected on the basis of agronomic performance in segregating generations. The A. sativa recurrent parents were Dal (tall and late) and Stout (short and early).

Backcross lines and recurrent parents were evaluated in five performance trails from 1983 through 1985. There was significant variation among backcross lines for most traits, but most backcross lines did not produce higher grain and straw yields than their A. sativa parent. Several backcross lines were higher than their recurrent parent in test weight and groat percentage. A line derived from Stout, 175BC2-6, was considered the most promising backcross line in the study. This line produced more grain, had heavier kernels, and headed 3.3 days earlier than Stout. Although 175BC2-6 does not have sufficient straw strength and crown rust resistance to be released as a cultivar, it is considered to be a new source of high grain yield, high test weight and earliness for oat breeding.