AAC Reid

Oat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'AAC Bullet' and 'Hidalgo'

Summary: At the 5 to 9 tiller stage, the pubescence on the lower leaf sheath of 'AAC Reid' is absent or very sparse while it is sparse for 'Hidalgo'. At the green stage, the leaf of 'AAC Reid' has medium glaucosity while that of 'Hidalgo' has weak glaucosity. 'AAC Reid' has a low frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves while 'Hidalgo' has a medium frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves. 'AAC Reid' has absent to very sparse pubescence on the stem below the culm node whereas 'AAC Bullet' and 'Hidalgo' have medium pubescence on the stem below the culm node. Shortly after heading and at the green stage, the plants of 'AAC Reid' are taller than those of 'AAC Bullet' and 'Hidalgo'. The panicle of 'AAC Reid' is longer than those of 'AAC Bullet' and 'Hidalgo'. 'AAC Reid' has medium to strong glaucosity of the lower glume, while the lower glume of 'AAC Bullet' and 'Hidalgo' have weak to medium glaucosity. At maturity, the lower glume of 'AAC Reid' is longer than that of 'AAC Bullet'. The lateral and dorsal surface of the lemma of 'AAC Reid' has sparse pubescence while those of 'AAC Bullet' and 'Hidalgo' have an absent to very sparse pubescence. The lemma of 'AAC Reid' has a weak tendency to be awned while that of 'Hidalgo' has an absent to very weak tendency to be awned.

Description:

PLANT: spring hulled type, semi-erect growth habit at 5 to 9 tiller stage, low frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves at booting

STEM: absence to very sparse pubescence above and below the upper culm node

LOWER LEAF: absent or very sparse pubescence on sheath and blade
LEAF: medium green, absent to very sparse pubescence on margin of leaf below flag leaf, medium glaucosity at green stage

PANICLE: equilateral/symmetrical orientation, medium density, semi-erect attitude of branches, less than 30 degree angle between rachis and dominant side branch
SPIKELET: two grains
LEMMA: small extent of lateral overlap on palea, white at maturity, sparse pubescence on lateral and dorsal surface, weak tendency to be awned

KERNEL (PRIMARY KERNELS FROM UPPER SPIKELETS): basal hairs absent, cream colour
GROAT: medium pubescence

Origin & Breeding History: 'AAC Reid' (experimental designation 'OA1444-4') was developed from the cross between 'Hidalgo' and 'OA1271-3' conducted in 2010 at Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada's Ottawa Research and Development Centre in Ottawa, ON. The variety was selected using a modified, single-seed decent method. Seed was increased in greenhouse to the F3 generation with F4 lines selected and grown in a hill nursery in 2012. Seventy-five visually selected lines were grown in an observation nursery in 2013. The visual selection was based on plant height, standability, resistance to any diseases that occurred, perceived yield potential in the field, along with kernel size and uniformity after threshing. Based on visual selection, 6 of these lines were advanced to the Home test in 2014 and the Preliminary/Enabling Collaborative Oat Research Enterprise test in 2015. 'OA1444-4' was selected and tested in the Ottawa Research and Development Centre's Oat Registration trials in 2015 to 2017 based on grain yield and milling quality, standability, and disease resistance traits. Meanwhile, 50 panicles of 'OA1444-4' were harvested from the 2015 seed plots and increased in a hill nursery in 2016. In 2017, 12 of these lines were grown in an observation nursery for seed increase. Pre-breeder seed was produced in 2018 from these lines and in 2019, Breeder seed was similarly produced.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'AAC Reid' were conducted at the Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada Ottawa Research and Development Centre in Ottawa, Ontario in 2019 and 2021. There were 4 replicates arranged in a RCB design. Each replicate consisted of six 3.8 metre long rows with 18 centimetre inter-row spacing. The seeding density was 330 seeds per square meter resulting in a minimum of 5016 plants per variety. The measured characteristics were based on 20 measurements per variety per year. The mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on a Student's t-test.

Comparison tables for 'AAC Reid' with reference varieties 'AAC Bullet' and 'Hidalgo'

Plant height (culm plus panicle) (cm)

Panicle length (mm)

Lower glume length (mm)

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Oat: 'AAC Reid'

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Oat: 'AAC Reid'

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Oat: 'AAC Reid' (left) with reference varieties 'Hidalgo' (center) and 'AAC Bullet' (right)