Winter Oats Research Articles

Winter forage crops influence soil properties through establishing different arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi communities in paddy field

Winter planting is promising for improving the utilization rate of fallow paddy fields in southern China by establishing arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) communities. However, the effects of different winter forage crops on AMF community construction remain unknown. The AMF community establishment of different winter planting forage crops were conducted in oat, rye, Chinese milk vetch, and ryegrass, with winter fallow as a control. The AMF colonization rate, soil AMF spore density, community structure and diversity, and soil physicochemical properties were determined. The results showed that the total nitrogen and available nitrogen in winter Chinese milk vetch were 11.11% and 16.92% higher than those in winter fallow (P < 0.05). After planting winter forage crops, the AMF spore density in winter oat, rye, Chinese milk vetch, and ryegrass soil were 127.90%, 64.37%, 59.91%, and 73.62% higher than that before planting, respectively (P < 0.05). Claroideoglomus was the dominant AMF genus in the soil of winter planting oat, rye, and ryegrass. The average membership function value of winter Chinese milk vetch was the highest, indicating that it had the best comprehensive effect on soil physicochemical properties, AMF community structure and diversity, and fresh forage yield. Winter forage crops could increase the spore pool of soil AMF and improve the soil AMF community structure and diversity. Winter Chinese milk vetch in paddy field had the best comprehensive effect on soil physicochemical properties and soil AMF community according to the comprehensive evaluation. These findings provide a theoretical basis for sustainable development and utilization of the southern rice paddy ecosystem.

Kansas agriculture in 2050: a pathway for climate-resilient crop production

IntroductionAdvances in farming technologies and practices have helped farmers to increase crop yields, but continued production increases – while needed to feed a growing global population – are being hindered by climate change and other environmental challenges. Kansas, a globally important region for wheat production, is already experiencing threats to staple crop production. This study explores one possible alternative future for Kansas crop production in which farmers could, by crop switching, continue to grow nutrient-rich crops while responding to hotter temperatures and increasing water demand.MethodsWe used a combination of climate and crop modeling with simple water budgets to identify optimal crop mixes under anticipated climatic and water constraints. Interviews with Kansas farmers helped identify feasible crop switching options: sorghum instead of corn (maize), winter rye and winter oats instead of winter wheat, and millet instead of soybeans.ResultsOur analysis suggests that a sizeable proportion of current Kansas cropland would need to shift to these alternative crops by 2050 to meet anticipated water constraints and produce equivalent nutritional value under projected climate conditions. Alternative crops could increase from 16% of Kansas' crop area in 2021 to 43% of the area in 2050, resulting in a reduction in 2050 crop water demand of 12% relative to that of the current crop mix. This crop water demand reduction would be concentrated in parts of the state that will experience the greatest change in water needs between today and mid-century due to changing climate conditions.DiscussionOur analysis shows that, by changing (diversifying) the mix of crops grown, it is biophysically possible for crop production in Kansas to be both sustainable and resilient under future climate conditions. However, achieving a more climate-resilient crop mix on the ground, in Kansas and elsewhere, will require major shifts in the broader agricultural system. Food companies, agricultural lenders, and policymakers can play a key role in enabling farmers to adapt cropping systems in the face of climate and environmental challenges.

Evaluation of Yield Stability and Adaptability of Oat Genotypes (Avena sativa L.)

This study’s main objectives were (i) to determine the stability of oat genotypes for the grain yield (t ha-1), (ii) to investigate the relationship of stability parameters with the grain yield in the analyzed set of genotypes, and (iii) to identify the high-yielding, stable, and adaptive oat genotypes for breeding purposes. The study was conducted during the 2015-22 period and involved fourteen winter oat genotypes maintained in the Bulgarian Seed Gene Bank. The trial was laid out in a randomized block design of variants in three replications and an experimental plot size of 10 m2. Sixteen grain yield stability parameters were determined. The AMMI stability value (ASV), the yield stability index (YSI), and the genotype selection index (GSI) were also calculated. A year and genotype x year interaction had an almost equally dominant effect on the grain yield per hectare. The Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients indicated that grain yield had significant positive associations with Thennarasu’s non-parametric statistics—the NP(2), NP(3), and NP(4), Kang’s rank-sum (KR), and the YSI. The yield stability parameters estimated the G11, G12, G13, and the G1 genotypes as the most stable. The ASV identified the G14, G8, and the G12 as the most stable genotypes, while the YSI detected the G14, G12, and G11, respectively. The GSI classified the G14, G12, G8, and the G11 as genotypes with the broadest adaptability to adverse climatic conditions. Thus, they could serve as a source material in winter oat breeding programs.

Study of the effects of silicon and sulphur foliar fertilization on yield components and yield in different winter oat cultivars

The aim of this work was to study the effect of sulphur and silicon foliar fertilisation treatment in different Hungarian-bred winter oat cultivars on the yield and the yield components, e.g. panicle ear-1 numbers per square meters, number of panicle nodes, number of spikelets per panicle, and thousand kernel weight (TKW) in the 2022–2023 growing season. The obtained results show that the applied fertilisers influenced the measured parameters, and we get the highest yield at the combined treatment – where silicon and sulphur was both applied –, and unexpectedly the lowest when only silicon was applied during the growing period. We measured the highest number of panicles m-2 at the sulphur treated experimental plots, and the lowest at the silicon treatment. We measured the average number of nodes of the panicle, and we can say that the sulphur fertilisation caused significantly higher values than any other treatment. Talking about the spikelet numbers, we get the highest value at the sulphur fertilisation, and the lowest at the control plots. However, our result wasn’t that prominent in the case of TKW, we get the highest weight at the silicon treatment, and the lowest at the sulphur fertilisation.

Combined effect of cover crops and bio-fertilizer on sustainable popcorn maize production.

Cover crops play an important role in low-input cropping systems, increasing the use of agro-ecosystem services. Due to the lack of information about the impact of cover crops and bio-fertilizers on popcorn maize (Zea mays everta Sturt.) growth and yield quality, especially the popping volume and nutritive quality, such as concentrations of protein and mineral elements, this research aimed to provide essential information. The interrelation between popcorn maize productivity and quality with important groups of soil microorganisms presents additional novelty. The results demonstrated that field pea is a beneficial cover crop, especially when combined with a bio-fertilizer, supporting the accumulation of maize biomass, chlorophyll, yield potential, and the concentrations of protein, Ca, Mg, Fe, and Zn. In addition, field pea residues promoted N-fixing bacteria, and the number of total microorganisms, especially actinomycetes and decomposing bacteria, which could promote nutrient uptake and grain quality. Residues of cover crop mixtures, common vetch + winter oats and field pea + winter oats, promoted the total number of microorganisms in the soil, and up to the end of vegetation, a greater number of decomposition and ammonification microorganisms were found, especially when the bio-fertilizer was applied, which consequently could support greater maize biomass. Popping volume, as a main trait of popcorn maize, had the highest value in the common vetch + winter oats variant, supporting again the statement that quality traits could be enhanced in sustainable production. Unlike living cover crops, mulch mainly affected soil microbial communities and promoted the development of actinomycetes and cellulolytic microorganisms during the growing season. The results of this research could contribute to the development of sustainable popcorn maize production for improved grain quality. They could also serve as a basis for isolating beneficial soil microorganisms to develop new bio-fertilizers that could improve maize production in synergy with cover crops.

Features of the formation of quantitative characters of collected samples of winter oats in the conditions of the Northern Forest Steppe of Ukraine

Features of the formation of quantitative characters of collected samples of winter oats in the conditions of the Northern Forest Steppe of Ukraine

Study of drought tolerance of winter oat varieties

This research was conducted during the period 2019-2021 at the Institute of Agriculture in Karnobat, Bulgaria. In order to establish suitable parents for a selection of drought resistant varieties, twelve accessions of introduced winter oats were studied. The genetic similarity and distance of the accessions was determined by means of cluster analysis. The highest drought resistance was exhibited by varieties Lustre, Image, Westfinnischer Schwarz, Powys, Lee and Fulghum . A good combination of drought resistance, grain weight per spike and 1000-grain weight was found for Lustre, Image and the Heros variety was from the accessions group with medium drought resistance. The cluster analysis revealed that the promising combinations can be obtained by crossing varieties from the most remote clusters, such as Lustre (first cluster) with varieties Panema, Roanoke, and Winter Turf from the third cluster. Keywords: winter oats, accessions, drought resistance, productivity, cluster analysis

Effect of vegetational diversification on the gene flow of natural enemies in a plum orchard

Plant diversity strategies promote positive effects on the delivery of ecosystem services by establishing winter refuges and other food resources for populations of natural enemies. Cover crops are encouraged as a sustainable practice able to stimulate the early recruitment of natural enemies. However, there is insufficient evidence of the dispersal of natural enemies between added vegetation habitats and targeted crops in orchards. Here we study the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of a plum aphid parasitoid using microsatellite markers developed specifically for Aphidius platensis. We seek to understand whether parasitoid wasps are able to shift between alternative and target aphid hosts (winter vs. spring hosts) developing on winter oat cover crops, spontaneous vegetation, and the target plum trees in an organic orchard system. Our results supported aspects of our hypotheses by providing evidence that added habitat diversity, through a cereal cover crop, can act as banker plants of parasitoid populations for the dispersion of migrants within a fruit orchard, which could favor suppression efficiency of orchard pests, as well as enable population persistence of parasitoids.

Analysis of the correspondence of the structural elements of AGU 75 variety harvest with the parameters of the winter oat idiotype model

Currently, one of the tasks facing breeders is the creation of new varieties in terms of their economically important characteristics, close to the developed models of the «ideal variety». The main purpose of the research is a comparative analysis of economically important indicators of a new AGU 75 variety of wintering oat of the dual direction, and the compliance with the parameters of the idiotype for further use as a genetic source. The basis for this approach was the study of the variety in the nursery of competitive variety testing in the period of 2000–2015. The studies were carried out in the soil and climatic conditions of the southern foothill zone of the North-Western Caucasus according to the generally accepted methods and agrotechnics of cultivation. As part of our research we used long-term experimental data from field observations and records, laboratory studies, and the biochemical composition of grain. The article gives an assessment of the duration of the growing season, winter hardiness, yield, resistance to lodging and major diseases (crown and stem rust, septoria, head smut) of the AGU 75 variety in relation to the idiotype. A comparative analysis of the elements of the crop structure (productive tillering, panicle length, number of spikelets, number of grains, grain weight per panicle, grain weight per plant, weight of 1000 grains) of varieties and models was carried out. The content of fat and protein, as well as the filminess of the grain of the analyzed variety and ideal type, were determined. Based on the comparative analysis of economically useful traits of AGU 75 variety, the degree of their compliance with the previously developed optimal parameters of the wintering oat model variant was revealed. The expediency of using AGU 75 variety as a source of valuable traits in breeding work to increase winter hardiness, productivity, resistance to lodging and diseases, early maturity, shattering, filminess, as well as elements of the crop structure – productive tillering, grain weight per plant was experimentally confirmed.

Changes in Plant and Grain Quality of Winter Oat (Avena sativa L.) Varieties in Response to Silicon and Sulphur Foliar Fertilisation under Abiotic Stress Conditions

In order to investigate the abiotic stress (drought) tolerance of oat (Avena sativa L.) with silicon and sulphur foliar fertilisation treatments, and monitor the effect of the treatments on the physiology, production, stress tolerance, plant, and grain quality of winter oat varieties, a field experiment was conducted in the growing season of 2020-2021. As a continuation of our article, published in another Special Issue of Plants, in this publication we evaluate the effect of silicon and sulphur treatments on the quality of winter oats. The whole grain sulphur content was significantly different between varieties. The foliar fertiliser treatments caused greater differences in both the carbon and nitrogen, and sulphur contents in the green plant samples, compared to the differences measured in the grain. Foliar treatments had a significant effect on the sulphur content of both plant samples and grains. Significant differences in the Al, Ba, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, P, Pb, Sr, and Zn contents of oat grains were measured, both between treatments and between varieties. Winter oat varieties did not respond equally to the foliar fertiliser treatments in terms of either macronutrient or micronutrient content. When P, K, Ca, Mg, and S were summarised, the highest values were in the control plots. Significant differences in protein content were identified between winter oat varieties in response to the treatments, but the varieties did not respond in the same way to different foliar fertiliser treatments. Based on our results, we recommend the use of foliar fertilisation in oats in drought-prone areas.

Shortening generation times for winter cereals by vernalizing seedlings from young embryos at 10 degree Celsius

AbstractMethods allowing quick generation cycles are available for various crop species but are limited to spring genotypes. However, winter types predominate in many crops including wheat and barley. Different from spring ones, winter genotypes need to be treated in low temperature for extended periods to accelerate flowering. Combined with known factors that reduce generation cycles for spring wheat and barley, the generation cycle effects of vernalizing seedlings from young embryos of winter types at 10°C of several crop species were studied. Here, we described how to obtain up to seven generations of winter barley, six generations for winter wheat or five generations for both winter oat and triticale genotypes per annum. This procedure should find wide applications in breeding and other biological studies.

Susceptibility of UK oat (Avena sativa) varieties to infection by Fusarium species and subsequent HT‐2 and T‐2 toxin contamination

AbstractThe aim of this study was to compare the susceptibility of oats to Fusarium langsethiae infection, as measured by combined HT‐2 and T‐2 mycotoxin concentration (HT2 + T2) in harvested oat grain samples. Over 10 years (2004–2013), samples from single replicates of each UK Recommended List oat trial were analyzed for HT‐2 and T‐2. For spring oats, there were small but statistically significant differences between varieties, whereas for winter oats, they had a broader range and higher mean of HT2 + T2 concentration compared with spring oats. For winter oats, the short‐strawed varieties had consistently high HT2 + T2 levels compared with other varieties, whereas naked varieties were at the lower end of the range, and short, naked varieties had intermediate levels. A separate set of harvested oat grain samples of eight common varieties from 17 field experiments were analyzed by modified joint regression analysis. Results showed that environment had the strongest impact on HT‐2 and T‐2 concentrations but that the varietal susceptibility to HT‐2 and T‐2 contamination was highly stable across environments. This methodology can be used to calculate a Fusarium (HT2 + T2) resistance score for oats to aid grower selection of suitable varieties, as is available for Fusarium (DON) resistance for wheat varieties in many countries.

The Effect of the Number of Watering and the Amount of Inorganic Fertilizers on the Structural Indicators of Winter Oats

The results of studies on the influence of the number of irrigation and mineral fertilizers on the structural indicators of winter oats in the Western part of Azerbaijan are presented. It was found that 2 irrigations contributed to an increase in the productivity of stems (39-100 pcs/ m2, the length of the ear is 1.7—6.0 cm, the number of grains in the ear is 4-10 pcs, the seed weight of the ear is 0.08-0.16 g, the thousand seed weight is 2.5—7.5 g compared with the control variant). Three — time watering — contributed to an even greater increase in oat indicators (43-102 pcs/m2, ear length — 2.2-6.3 cm, the number of grains in the ear — 6-12 pieces, the seed weight of the ear is 0.11-0.20 g, the thousand seed weight is 3.3-9.4 g compared to the non-maneuverable control variant). In order to obtain a high and high-quality harvest of oat grain and restore soil fertility on the gray-brown irrigated soils of the Ganja-Kazakh economic zone, it is recommended that farms use vegetation irrigation and mineral fertilizers in the norm N120P120K903 times annually.

Effect of a cover crop on the aphid incidence is not explained by increased top-down regulation.

BackgroundCover crops can be used as a habitat management strategy to enhance the natural enemies and their temporal synchronization with a target pest. We examined the effect of winter oat intercropping within organic plum orchards on the natural enemy abundance and seasonal dynamics on the biological control of plum aphids in spring in Central Chile.MethodsWe compared the incidence and abundance of natural enemies and aphid pests from winter to the end of spring using two treatments: (1) plum trees with an oat cover crop (OCC) and (2) plum trees without a cover crop but with spontaneous vegetation (SV). We hypothesized that cover crops allow the development of winter cereal aphids, promoting the early arrival of natural enemies in spring, resulting in an earlier control of plum aphids.ResultsWinter cereal aphids developed well on the OCC, and as a result, a lower plum aphid incidence in spring was observed when compared to the SV. However, the abundance of natural enemies and the parasitism rates cannot explain the positive impacts of the oat cover crop on the aphid populations as there were no differences between treatments. A potential effect of the oat due to chemical and/or physical stimuli (bottom-up effects) could help to explain these results.

Multispectral Analysis of Small Plots Based on Field and Remote Sensing Surveys—A Comparative Evaluation

Remote sensing is an efficient method of monitoring experiments rapidly and by enabling the collection of significantly more detailed data, than using only field measurements, ensuring new possibilities in scientific research. A small plot field experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with winter oat (Avena sativa L.) varieties in Debrecen, Hungary in the 2020/2021 cropping year. Multiple field measurements and aerial surveys were carried out examining the response of oat on Silicon and Sulfur foliar fertilization treatments thereby monitoring their effects on the physiology, production and stress tolerance. Parallel application of in situ (elevation, soil pH, NDVI, SPAD, chlorophyll content) and aerial (NDVI, NDRE) surveys including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) provided a diverse source of data for evaluation. Both the oat varieties (88.9%) and the foliar fertilization treatments (87.5%) were correctly classified and clearly separated with the discriminant analysis based on measured data. The Pearson correlation analysis showed a very strong positive connection (r = 0.895–1.00) between the NDVI values measured using a hand-held system and UAV-installed camera, except the third measurement time, where the correlation was weaker (r = 0.70). Our results indicate that field experiments can be effectively supported by UAVs.

Pathogenic mycobiot of seeds of cereal crops under the influence of different growing technologies

One of the important factors in obtaining quality seeds of cereals is the technology of cultivation, which should ensure high yields and quality of grain and be safe for the environment. Therefore, the aim of our study was to determine the impact of different growing technologies on the pathogenic microflora of the seeds winter wheat and oats. It was established that on the seeds of winter wheat of the variety Oberig Myronivskyi according to the traditional growing technology 7 genera of phytopathogenic micromycetes parasitized such as Alternaria spp., Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp., Acremoniella spp., Bipolaris spp., Penicillium spp., Cladosporim spp., which were characterized by different frequency of occurrence from 10% to 60%. On the seeds of oat variety Timbre we identified such phytopathogenic micromycetes as Alternaria spp., Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp., Chaetomiums spp., Drechslera spp., Penicillium spp., Trichoderma spp., where their frequency of occurrence was from 10 to 50%. The highest frequency of occurrence the seeds winter wheat and oats by traditional growing technologies was characterized by genera Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp. This can create a significant problem when storing seeds and suppress its germination. Under organic growing technology on winter wheat seeds of the variety Oberig Myronivskyi micromycetes of the following genera: Alternaria spp., Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp., Chaetomiums spp., Penicillium spp., Trichoderma spp., Bipolaris spp. were identified, where their frequency of occurrence was from 25 to 50%. On the seeds of oats of the variety Timbre there were micromycetes of genera: Alternaria spp., Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp., Chaetomiums spp., Drechslera spp., Penicillium spp., Trichoderma spp. with frequency of occurrence from 10 to 50%. The dominant genus was Trichoderma spp. Fungi of this genus have the ability to multiply rapidly, which will compete with other microorganisms. The growing technology of cereal affect not only the number and frequency of occurrence phytopathogenic micromycetes on seeds, but also sporulation and their reproductive structures. It was found that the seeds of winter wheat and oats, in the conditions of traditional growing technology, the similarity of micromycetes was 56%. At the same time, the coefficient similarity of species the phytopathogenic micromycetes on the seeds of the studied crops, in terms of organic technology, was slightly higher and amounted to 63%. The analyzed indicators, such as the frequency of occurrence and the similarity coefficient, make it possible to evaluate the seeds of growing plant varieties in order to avoid biological contamination of agrocenoses with infectious structures of the phytopathogenic micromycetes.

Identification of Viruses Infecting Oats in Korea by Metatranscriptomics.

Controlling infectious plant viruses presents a constant challenge in agriculture. As a source of valuable nutrients for human health, the cultivation of oats (Avena sativa L.) has recently been increased in Korea. To date, however, few studies have been undertaken to identify the viruses infecting oats in this country. In this study, we carried out RNA-sequencing followed by bioinformatics analyses to understand the virosphere in six different geographical locations in Korea where oats are cultivated. We identified three different virus species, namely, barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) (BYDV-PAV and BYDV-PAS), cereal yellow dwarf virus (CYDV) (CYDV-RPS and CYDV-RPV), and rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV). Based on the number of virus-associated reads and contigs, BYDV-PAV was a dominant virus infecting winter oats in Korea. Interestingly, RBSDV was identified in only a single region, and this is the first report of this virus infecting oats in Korea. Single nucleotide polymorphisms analyses indicated that most BYDV, CYDV, and RBSDV isolates show considerable genetic variations. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that BYDVs and CYDVs were largely grouped in isolates from Asia and USA, whereas RBSDV was genetically similar to isolates from China. Overall, the findings of this study provide a preliminary characterization of the types of plant viruses infecting oats in six geographical regions of Korea.

Effect of additional water supply during grain filling on protein composition and epitope characteristics of winter oats

Pure oats in gluten-free diets (GFD) represent important nutritional benefits for people suffering from celiac disease (CD). However, oat cultivars do not contain the typical CD-related wheat gliadin analog polypeptides. Emerging evidence suggests that oat cultivars containing gluten-like epitopes in avenin sequences may pose potential health risks for celiac patients in rare cases, depending on the individual’s susceptibility. Consequently, it is necessary to screen oats in terms of protein and epitope composition, to be able to select safe varieties for gluten-free applications. The overall aim of our study is to investigate the variation of oat protein composition directly related to health-related and techno-functional properties and to examine how the protein compositional parameters change due to irrigation during the grain-filling period as compared to the natural rain-fed grown, in a large winter oat population of different geographic origin.Elements of an oat sample population representing 164 winter oat varieties from 8 countries and the protein composition of resulting samples have been characterized. Size distribution of the total protein extracts has been analyzed by SE-HPLC, while the 70% ethanol extracted proteins were analyzed by RP-HPLC. Protein extracts are separated into 3 main groups of fractions on the SE-HPLC column; polymeric, avenin, and non-avenin monomeric protein groups, representing 59.17–80.87%, 12.89–31.03%, and 3.40–9.41% of total protein content, respectively. The ratio of polymeric to monomeric proteins varied between 1.71 and 6.07. 91 RP-HPLC-separated peaks have been differentiated from the ethanol extractable proteins of the entire population.The various parameters identified a lot of variation, confirming the significance of genotypic variation. In addition, it was also established that the additional water supply during grain filling significantly affected the various quantitative parameters of protein content, but not its qualitative structure. This environmental effect, however, was strongly genotype-dependent. Winter oat genotypes with low levels of epitope content were identified and it was proven that these characteristics were independent of the environmental factor of water availability. These genotypes are appropriate for initiating a specific breeding program to yield oat cultivars suitable for CD patients.

ABOUT THE INFLUENCE OF WEATHER AND CLIMATIC FACTORS ON THE GRAIN CROPS YIELD OF MINSK AND MOGILEV PROVINCES IN LATE 19th – EARLY 20th CENTURIES

A quantitative assessment of the influence of weather and climatic factors (average air temperature and the amount of precipitation by months of the growing season) on major agricultural crops yield was carried out using ‘weather – harvest’ regression models and available statistical and meteorological data for Minsk and Mogilev provinces in late 19th – early 20th centuries. On the basis of the established dependencies, the vulnerability of the main grain crops to the climatic conditions of the period under consideration is shown, and specific factors are identified that determine the climatic variability of their yield. Using the weather index on the example of Minsk province, the favorable weather conditions for the main grain crops growth (winter rye and oats) in the considered years were assessed. It is shown that fluctuations in yield of winter rye were determined by moisture storage on eve of sowing and the conditions of its conduction, the sizes of sowings death because of temperature and precipitation sums ratio, heat supply of a period of vegetation resumption, weather conditions of spring and summer vegetation, ripening and harvesting. The fluctuations in oat yield were conditioned by spring moisture storage, weather conditions of sowing and harvesting but mainly by temperature background of during a period of summer vegetation and crop ripening.

Mitigating the Negative Effect of Drought Stress in Oat (Avena sativa L.) with Silicon and Sulphur Foliar Fertilization.

A field experiment was carried out in the 2020–2021 growing season, aiming at investigating the abiotic stress tolerance of oat (Avena sativa L.) with silicon and sulphur foliar fertilization treatments and monitoring the effect of treatments on the physiology, production and stress tolerance of winter oat varieties. In the Hungarian national list of varieties, six winter oat varieties were registered in 2020, and all of the registered varieties were sown in a small plot field experiment in Debrecen, Hungary. The drought tolerance of the oat could be tested, because June was very dry in 2021; the rainfall that month totaled 6 mm only despite a 30-year average of 66.5 mm, and the average temperature for the month was 3.2 °C higher than the 30-year average. Foliar application of silicon and sulphur fertilizers caused differences in the photosynthesis rate, total conductance to CO2, transpiration, water use efficiency, leaf area, chlorophyll content, carotenoid content, thousand kernel weight (TKW) and yield of winter oat. The application of silicon significantly increased the photosynthesis rate (16.8–149.3%), transpiration (5.4–5.6%), air–leaf temperature difference (16.2–43.2%), chlorophyll (1.0%) and carotenoid (2.5%) content. The yield increased by 10.2% (Si) and 8.0% (Si plus S), and the TKW by 3.3% (Si) and 5.0% (Si plus S), compared to the control plots. The plants in the control plots assimilated less CO2 while transpiring 1 m3 water more than in the Si, S or Si plus S fertilized plots. The effect of the silicon varied from 9.0 to 195.4% in water use efficiency (WUE) in the three development stages (BBCH52, BBCH65 and BBCH77). A lower leaf area index was measured in the foliar fertilized plots; even so, the yield was higher, compared to that from the control plots. Great variation was found in response to the foliar Si and S fertilization among winter oat varieties—in WUE, 2.0–43.1%; in total conductance to CO2, 4.9–37.3%; in leaf area, 1.6–34.1%. Despite the droughty weather of June, the winter oat varieties produced a high yield. The highest yield was in ‘GK Arany’ (7015.7 kg ha−1), which was 23.8% more than the lowest yield (‘Mv Kincsem’, 5665.6 kg ha −1). In the average of the treatments, the TKW increased from 23.9 to 33.9 g (41.8%). ‘Mv Hópehely’ had the highest TKW. Our results provide information about the abiotic stress tolerance of winter oat, which, besides being a good model plant because of its drought resistance, is an important human food and animal feed.