Registration of ‘NF402’ Forage Oat

Abstract

‘NF402’ (Reg. No. CV-379, PI 674467), a facultative winter-type forage oat (Avena sativa L.), was developed by the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, Inc., Ardmore, OK, and released in 2013. NF402 was tested under the experimental designation NF27. It is an early-maturing, high-yielding forage cultivar with greater potential for early-fall forage. NF402 was developed from a single cross between ‘833’/NF170. NF402 was developed through individual plant selections in early generations followed by head-row and progeny-row schemes. The line was designated as NF27 and evaluated in preliminary, advanced, and statewide forage trials. Each generation was advanced by bulk selfing in the field with roguing of off-type variants. During evaluation and seed increase, the cultivar was observed to be stable and uniform. NF402 possess a prostrate growth habit, and the plants are about 111 cm tall. The leaves are large (21.36 cm × 13.2 mm), dark green, and glabrous. The panicles are 16.95 cm long with an average of 5.5 seed whorls. Forage quality of NF402 is either superior or similar to other commonly grown oat cultivars in the region. Average fall-winter and total forage yield of NF402 was 22 and 19% higher than ‘Dallas’, respectively, in the southern Oklahoma trials. NF402 has broad environmental adaptability and performed well in trials conducted in southern Oklahoma, north Texas, Louisiana, and Georgia.