HiFi

Oat

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Ronald'

Summary: HiFi' has a more upright flag leaf attitude than 'Ronald'. 'HiFi' has no pubescence on the stem above and below the upper culm node while 'Ronald' has medium to dense pubescence. 'HiFi' has a thinner culm than 'Ronald'. 'HiFi' heads earlier and has a taller plant height than 'Ronald'. The presence of lemma awns is frequent for 'HiFi' (30%) while it is absent for 'Ronald'.

Description:

'HiFi' is a hulled, spring oat variety. The juvenile growth habit is semi-erect and the leaves are dark green in colour. The leaves have medium glaucosity and the leaf margins have very sparse pubescence. The leaves have ligules present. The flag leaf has an upright to intermediate attitude and weak glaucosity on the internode. The upper culm node has no pubescence. The culm is medium in thickness after heading.

The panicle is equilateral in shape and intermediate in density. The panicle is medium in size with a medium width and short length. The panicle branches are semi-erect and medium in length. The lower whorl of branches are attached at the first node. The rachis is straight in shape. The angle between the rachis and dominant side branch is less than 30 degrees. The lower panicle nodes have a few hairs or spines which are short in length. The second floret on the rachilla is long in length. The rachilla is narrow in width and has sparse pubescence. The spikelet attitude is nodding and the average number of florets per spikelet is two or less. The lemma has a medium pointed to long pointed tip and has very sparse pubescence on the lateral and dorsal surface. The presence of lemma awns is frequent for 'HiFi' (30%) and the awns are straight in shape. The palea has medium overlapping and is medium in length in relation to the lemma. The kernel is mid plump and white in colour.

Origin & Breeding History: 'HiFi' was selected from a cross made in 1992 between ND90141 and ND900118. A modified single seed descent and pedigree method of breeding was used. 'HiFi' has been evaluated in replicated trials in North Dakota since 1996 and has been tested in North Dakota Oat Variety Trials since 1999.

Tests & Trials: 'HiFi' was tested at Pilot Mound, Manitoba in 2003 and 2004. The trials consisted of large field plots of each variety grown adjacent to each other. Measured characteristics were based on 50 measurements.

Comparison tables for 'HiFi' with reference variety 'Ronald'

Plant height (cm)

Number of days to heading

Kernel weight