AAC Neville

Oat

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'AC Morgan' and 'CS Camden'

Summary: At the 5 to 9 tiller stage, the lower leaf sheath of 'AAC Neville' has a sparse to medium density of pubescence while that of 'CS Camden' has an absent or very sparse to sparse pubescence. The stem above the upper culm node of 'AAC Neville' has dense pubescence while that of 'CS Camden' has absent or very sparse pubescence. The plants of 'AAC Neville' head later than the plants of 'CS Camden'. After heading at the green stage, the plants of 'AAC Neville' are shorter than the plants of 'AC Morgan'. At maturity, the lemma of 'AAC Neville' is light yellow in colour while those of the reference varieties are white. The lemma of 'AAC Neville' has an absent or very weak tendency to be awned while that of 'CS Camden' has a medium to strong tendency to be awned. The scutellum on the kernel of 'AAC Neville' is of a medium size while that of 'AC Morgan' is small.

Description:

PLANT: spring hulled type, semi-erect juvenile growth habit at 5 to 9 tiller stage

STEM: dense pubescence above the upper culm node

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

PANICLE: equilateral/symmetrical orientation, medium to dense, semi-erect to horizontal attitude of branches
SPIKELET: three grains
LEMMA: light yellow at maturity, absent to very sparse pubescence on lateral and dorsal surface, absent to very weak tendency to be awned

KERNEL (PRIMARY KERNELS FROM UPPER SPIKELETS): short basal hairs, cream colour
SCUTELLUM: pointed tip, medium size

Origin & Breeding History: 'AAC Neville' (experimental designations '07P35-BP' and 'OT2134') originated from the cross made in 2007 between 'AC Morgan' and 'Marion' at the Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada Cereal Research Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. It was selected using a modified bulk breeding strategy followed by a pedigree breeding method at a later stage. The F1 to F6 generations were grown and bulk harvested between contra nurseries in Leeston or Palmerston, New Zealand and Brandon, Manitoba from the winter of 2013 to 2016. From the F6 seed grown in rows in New Zealand during the winter of 2016 and 2017, 50 panicles were randomly selected. In 2017, 45 F7 multi-seed hills were planted in a disease nursery in Brandon, Manitoba. Two hills were selected based on grain quality and increased in Palmerston, New Zealand in 2017 to 2018. One F9 line, designated as '07P35-BP', was entered in preliminary yield tests in Western Canada in 2018 and included in 2019 'B' Oat Yield Trial grown in Western Canada and the Engagement of Northern Collaborative Oat Research Enterprise trials grown across Canada. Selections were made for improved agronomic performance, disease resistance, and nutritional quality traits. '07P35-BP' was designated as 'OT2134' and entered into the 2020 and 2021 Western Cooperative Oat Registration Test. Breeder seed production commenced in 2022 at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Seed Increase Unit, Indian Head, Saskatchewan.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trials for 'AAC Neville' were conducted at the Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada Brandon Research and Development Centre in Brandon, Manitoba in 2021 and 2022. There were 4 replicates arranged in a RCB design. The plots were 4.4 square metres and consisted of five 5 metre long rows spaced 0.177 metres apart. The seeding density of 300 seeds per square metre resulted in a total of approximately 4260 plants per variety. The measured characteristics were based on 20 measurements per variety per year. Mean differences were significant at the 5% probability level based on LSD values.

Comparison table for 'AAC Neville' with reference varieties 'AC Morgan' and 'CS Camden'

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

Plant height (shortly after heading, culm plus panicle) (cm)

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Oat: 'AAC Neville' (centre) with reference varieties 'CS Camden' (top) and 'AC Morgan' (bottom)

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Oat: 'AAC Neville' (centre) with reference varieties 'CS Camden' (left) and 'AC Morgan' (right)