Katana

Oat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'AAC Kolosse', 'Bolina' and 'Dieter'

Summary: At the 5 to 9 tiller stage, the juvenile growth habit of 'Katana' is intermediate between semi-erect and semi-prostrate whereas the juvenile growth habit of 'AAC Kolosse' and 'Bolina' is semi-erect. At booting, the leaf of 'Katana' is yellow green whereas the leaf is medium green for 'AAC Kolosse' and 'Bolina'. The pubescence on the stem above and below the upper culm node of 'Katana' is medium to dense whereas the pubescence is absent or very sparse to sparse for 'AAC Kolosse'. After heading at the green stage, the plants of 'Katana' are taller than the plants of 'Bolina'. The glaucosity on the glume of 'Katana' is weak whereas 'AAC Kolosse' and 'Bolina' have a medium degree of glaucosity. The attitude of the branches on the panicle of 'Katana' is semi-erect whereas that of 'Bolina' is horizontal. At maturity, the lemma is white for 'Katana' whereas the lemma of 'AAC Kolosse' is yellow. The tendency of the lemmas to be awned on 'Katana is medium whereas the tendency to be awned is absent to very weak on 'Dieter' and weak on 'AAC Kolosse' and 'Bolina'. There are no basal hairs on the kernel of 'Katana' whereas there are on 'Bolina'. The kernel weight of 'Katana' is greater than that of 'Bolina'. 'Katana' has a longer kernel than that of 'Bolina'.

Description:

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

STEM: medium to dense pubescence above and below the upper culm node

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

PANICLE: equilateral/symmetrical orientation, medium density, semi-erect attitude of branches
GLUME: weak glaucosity
RACHILLA: medium length between primary and secondary floret, sparse pubescence
LEMMA: weak glaucosity, white at maturity, absent or very sparse pubescence on lateral and dorsal surface, medium tendency to be awned

KERNEL: basal hairs absent

Origin & Breeding History: 'Katana' (experimental designations C3M18274 et CFA1802) originated from a cross made in 2012 between QO.621.28 (female parent) and P973A38-9-3-27 (male parent) in Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec. Using a modified pedigree method of breeding, the variety originated from a single plant selection from the F4 generation in 2014. In 2018, one hundred panicles were selected from the F8 generation. Row plots were then selected during the winter of 2019 in Puerto Rico with breeder seed derived from 50 selected lines in St-Simon-de-Bagot, Quebec during the summer 2019. Selection criteria included tolerances to leaf and stem diseases, lodging resistance, white colour of the lemma, yield, specific weight, thousand kernel weight, reduced tendency to be awned, few tertiary kernels and grain quality.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'Katana' were conducted at the La Coop Fédérée Research Farm in Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec in 2020 and 2021. There were 4 replicates arranged in a RCB design. In 2020, the size of the plots were 6 square metres and consisted of seven 5 m long rows spaced 0.18 m apart. In 2021, the size of the plots were 5 square metres and consisted of seven 4.5 m long rows spaced 0.18 m apart. The seeding density was 375 seeds per metre squared resulting in a minimum of 6750 plants per variety per year. The measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 20 measurements except for the primary kernel length, which is based on a minimum of 17 measurements in 2020 and for the thousand kernel weight, which was based on 3 and 10 measurements in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on a Tukey test.

Comparison tables for 'Katana' with reference varieties 'AAC Kolosse', 'Bolina' and 'Dieter'

Plant height (culm plus panicle) (cm)

Kernel weight (grams per 1000 kernels) (g)

Kernel length (primary grain) (mm)

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Oat: 'Katana' (left) with reference varieties 'Bolina' (centre left), 'AAC Kolosse' (centre right) and 'Dieter' (right)

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Oat: 'Katana' (top right) with reference varieties 'AAC Kolosse' (bottom right), 'Bolina' (bottom left) and 'Dieter '(top left)