Genetic and environmental variation of grain yield of oat varieties

Both variety genotype and climatic conditions influence the grain yield of oat. The field experiments were carried out in 1998 _ 2002 at the Jogeva Plant Breeding Institute (PBI) in Estonia to investigate the genetic and environmental variation of oat grain yield. 101 oat varieties from Germany, Sweden, Russia, Canada, USA, and other countries were included in the trial. As a result of the trial, the climatic conditions proved to have considerable influence on the grain yield of oat. Oat grain yield was decreased by drought and high temperatures in 1999 and 2002. Heavy winds and rains caused lodging of oat crop and lowered the grain yield in 1998 and 2001. The oat grain yield was highest in 2000, in rainy vegetaton period with moderate temperature. The coefficients of variation and differences between minimum and maximum values indicate the wide range of genetic variability of grain yield.