Increasing grain yield of oats by independent culling for harvest index and vegetative growth index or unit straw weight

Abstract

Most variation in grain yield of oats is due to variation in harvest index and vegetative growth index, but the latter traits are negatively associated. Therefore we used independent culling levels to select oat genotypes with high levels of vigor traits and a desirable level of harvest index in an attempts to maximize grain yield. Harvest index and vegetative growth index or harvest index and unit straw weight were selected at various culling levels. Intensive selection for harvest index resulted in high harvest index but no grain yield improvement, because the selected lines had poor vigor. Intensive selection for vegetative growth index or unit straw weight resulted in high biomass but low harvest index.