CDC Orrin

Oat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'CDC Boyer', 'CDC Pacer' and 'AC Assiniboia'

Summary: The pubescence on the lower leaf blade is less on 'CDC Orrin' than the reference varieties. The pubescence of the leaf margin on the leaf below the flag leaf for 'CDC Orrin' is absent to very weak, while for 'CDC Boyer' it is weak, for 'CDC Pacer' it is medium to strong, and for 'AC Assiniboia' it is very strong. 'CDC Orrin' has medium to strong pubescence above and below the upper culm node, while for 'CDC Pacer' it is absent to very weak and for 'AC Assiniboia' it is strong to very strong. 'CDC Orrin' produces a plant that is taller than 'AC Assiniboia' and 'CDC Pacer' but shorter than 'CDC Boyer'. The panicle density is more compact for 'CDC Orrin' than for 'CDC Pacer'. 'CDC Orrin' has fewer shorter hairs or spines on the lower panicle node than 'AC Assiniboia'. The frequency of awns on the lemma is greater for 'CDC Orrin' than the reference varieties. 'CDC Orrin' and 'CDC Boyer' have cream coloured kernels while for 'CDC Pacer' they are yellow and for 'AC Assiniboia' they are light brown.

Description:

'CDC Orrin' is a hulled spring oat variety. The seedlings have a green coleoptile and short to medium length hypocotyls. Juvenile growth habit is semi-erect with medium pubescence of the lower leaf sheath. The lower leaf blades have very slight pubescence. The leaves at booting stage are medium green with strong glaucosity and there is no pubescence of the leaf margins. Leaf ligules are present with an intermediate flag leaf attitude and strong to very strong glaucosity of the sheath. The stem segment immediately above and below the upper culm node has medium pubescence. The culm is medium in thickness and yellowish white to yellow in colour at maturity.

The panicle of 'CDC Orrin' is symmetrical in shape, compact in density, medium to large in size and intermediate in length and width. The branches are medium in length, semi-erect, and the lower whorl of branches is attached at the first node. The rachis is straight with no secondary rachis node present. The angle between the rachis and dominant side branch is 30 to 45 degrees. There is a few to medium number of medium length hairs or spines on the lower panicle node. The rachilla is glabrous with a second floret which is medium to long and medium in width. At maturity the rachilla has medium depth grooves. Spikelet separation is by fracture and floret separation is by heterofracture. Spikelet attitude is nodding with an average number of 3 to 4 florets per spikelet

The glumes of 'CDC Orrin' are yellow in colour, mid-wide to wide, and long. The lemma is medium in length with a long pointed tip and is white to yellow in colour at maturity. The lateral and dorsal surfaces of the lemma are glabrous with weak to medium glaucosity at the green stage. Lemma awns are frequent and twisted to bent in shape. There is a medium overlap of the lemma on the palea. The length of the palea of 'CDC Orrin' reaches half way to all the way up the lemma.

The kernels show mixed fluorescence under ultraviolet lights. The kernels are cream coloured, mid-plump with no basal hairs. The caryopsis is moderately pubescent. The brush hairs are short to mid-long. There are two grains per spikelet. The scutellum is medium in size with a pointed tip.

'CDC Orrin' is moderately susceptible to susceptible to crown rust (Puccinia coronata) races CR13, CR181, CR185, CR192, CR223 and CR225, resistant to black loose smut (Ustilago avenae) races A13, A60 and A617, susceptible to stem rust (Puccinia graminis f.sp. avenae) races NA8, NA16, NA25, NA27, NA28, NA55 and NA67, resistant to covered smut (Ustilago kolleri) and moderately susceptible to red leaf barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). 'CDC Orrin' has fair to good lodging resistance, good shattering resistance and is sensitive to day length.

Origin & Breeding History: 'CDC Orrin' was developed in 1993 at the Crop Development Center's oat breeding program using a pedigree breeding system from the cross OT349 x J775-1 The F1 - F4 generations were grown as bulks with the F1 and F3 generations grown in winter nurseries in New Zealand. 'CDC Orrin' was selected as a single panicle from an F4 plant in the field at Saskatoon in 1995. Following that, it was grown and selected as a single F5 hill plot at Saskatoon in 1996. The seed from that F5 hill plot was bulked as the line which became 'CDC Orrin'. It was tested in the Crop Development Center's yield trials as 'OT382' in 1997-1998, followed by testing in the Western Oat Coop trials during 1999-2000. It was selected based on its agronomic performance and disease reactions.

Tests & Trials: The tests and trials consisted of two row plots which were 3.7 metres in length spaced 15 cm apart, replicated twice in a RCB Design. The trials were conducted in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 2001 and 2002.

Comparison tables for 'CDC Orrin' with reference varieties 'CDC Boyer', 'CDC Pacer' and 'AC Assiniboia'

Plant height (cm)

Kernel weight (grams per 1000 kernels)