AAC Chandler

Oat

Variety Description

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

Summary: At the 5 to 9 tiller stage, the pubescence on the lower leaf sheath of 'AAC Chandler' is absent or very sparse while it is sparse for 'AAC Nicolas'. At the green stage, the leaf of 'AAC Chandler' has medium glaucosity while that of 'AAC Nicolas' has weak glaucosity. 'AAC Chandler' has a low frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves while 'AAC Nicolas' has a medium frequency of plants with recurved flag leaves. The flag leaf of 'AAC Chandler' is wider than the flag leaf of 'AAC Nicolas' and longer than that of 'AAC Bullet'. The stem below the culm node for 'AAC Chandler' has sparse pubescence whereas those of 'AAC Bullet' and 'AAC Nicolas' have a medium density of pubescence. The plants of 'AAC Chandler' head later than 'AAC Bullet'. The panicle of 'AAC Chandler' is shorter than that of 'AAC Nicolas'. At maturity, the lower glume of 'AAC Chandler' is shorter than that of 'AAC Nicolas'. The lemma of 'AAC Chandler' has a weak tendency to be awned while that of 'AAC Nicolas' has a medium tendency to be awned.

Description:

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

STEM: medium pubescence above upper culm node, sparse pubescence 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 to dense, 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, absent to very 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 Chandler' (experimental designations 'OA1568-6' and '11W08-17') originated from a cross conducted in 2011 between 'AAC Bullet' and 'AAC Roskens' at Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada Ottawa Research and Development Centre in Ottawa, Ontario. The resulting lines were advanced to the F3 generation in the greenhouse and 100 F4 panicle hills were grown in 2013. Twenty two lines were selected and tested in an observation nursery in 2014 (F4:5). In 2015, 13 lines were selected and tested in the Home Test (F4:6) and in 2016, one line designated 'OA1568-6' was entered into the Ottawa Research and Development Centre's Registration test (F4:7). 'OA1568-6' was further evaluated in 2017 and 2018 based on yield, plant height, lodging resistance and grain quality. Fifty panicles harvested from the 2016 seed plots were increased in a hill nursery in 2017 with 12 lines selected based mainly on seed plumpness for increase in an observation nursery. These lines were increased separately in 2019 and after confirming uniformity, bulked to produce Breeder seed in 2020 at the F8:10 generation. Simultaneously in 2018, 100 F9 plants were increased in the greenhouse in 2018 and grown as 100 single rows in 2019. After removing taller and darker green plants, seed was bulked as another source of Breeder Seed in 2020.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'AAC Chandler' 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 for a plot size of 3.8 squared metres. The seeding density was 330 seeds per metre squared 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 Chandler' with reference varieties 'AAC Bullet' and 'AAC Nicolas'

Flag leaf width (mm)

Flag leaf length (cm)

Days to heading (days from planting to when 50% of panicles are fully emerged)

Panicle length (mm)

Lower glume length (mm)

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Oat: 'AAC Chandler'

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Oat: 'AAC Chandler'

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Oat: 'AAC Chandler' (left) with reference varieties 'AAC Nicolas' (center) and 'AAC Bullet' (right)