Abstract
AbstractThe effects of three seeding rates (250, 350 and 450 seeds/m2), six applied N rates (40, 70, 100, 130, 160 and 190 kg N/ha) and the application of plant growth regulator on the grain quality of two spring oat cultivars (Husky and Keely) were evaluated at four spring-sown sites over a 3-year period (2016–2018). The same cultivars, seeding rates and five applied N rates (80, 110, 140, 170 and 200 kg N/ha) were evaluated at three winter-sown sites, in 2017–2019. Keely had a significantly higher kernel content (KC) in spring (0.7%) and winter-sown (0.6%) oats. Specific weight (SW) decreased as N rate increased in spring-sown crops (1 kg/hl) with no effect observed in winter-sown oats. Hullability (HB) increased (0.92%) in spring-sown crops as N rate increased with a reduction (0.9%) observed when winter-sown. Increases in grain protein percentage (GPP) were observed in spring (1.8%) and winter (1.2%) sowings in response to N rate. The application of plant growth regulator reduced SW (0.4 kg/hl), GPP (0.3%), KC (0.6%) with no effect on HB. Kernel size was highly responsive too applied N rate, with reductions in grains >2.5 mm and increases in grains of smaller size observed as N rate increased. HB had a marked relationship to kernel size with GP inconsistently linked to SW. The results of this study suggest that cultivar, N rate and PGR application are of importance to milling quality and that changes in grain size in response to agronomic practices contribute to changes in specific weight and hullability.
Highlights
IntroductionCommon oat, is an important break crop for the Irish arable sector. Of the 261 k hectares (ha) devoted to cereal production in 2018, 18 kha were utilized for the cultivation of oats (Anon, 2019), primarily for the horse feed and milling industries
Avena sativa, or common oat, is an important break crop for the Irish arable sector
The results show that sowing date, cultivar, seed rate, PGR application and applied N fertilizer rate all have effects on the processing quality of oat grain
Summary
Common oat, is an important break crop for the Irish arable sector. Of the 261 k hectares (ha) devoted to cereal production in 2018, 18 kha were utilized for the cultivation of oats (Anon, 2019), primarily for the horse feed and milling industries. The relatively mild, temperate winter climate allows Irish producers to plant spring oat genotypes in the autumn/winter due to the relatively low number of frost days enabling the production of high yield potential crops (Marshall et al, 2013). There has been an increased interest in the inclusion of oat grain in human diets globally due to health benefits (Marshall et al, 2013; Rasane et al, 2015), with a niche market recently developing in Ireland targeting the production of oat grain suitable for inclusion in celiac diets. There is an opportunity for Irish oat producers to target high value niche markets as they continue to develop into the future
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