Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-x5gtn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-17T13:19:32.768Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Identification of yield limiting phenological phases of oats to improve crop management

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 March 2016

J. M. FINNAN  and
J. SPINK
J. M. FINNAN*
Affiliation:
Crops Research Department, Crops, Environment and Land Use Programme, Teagasc, Carlow, Ireland
J. SPINK
Affiliation:
Crops Research Department, Crops, Environment and Land Use Programme, Teagasc, Carlow, Ireland
*
*To whom all correspondence should be addressed. Email: john.finnan@teagasc.ie
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The optimization of management practices for oats is hindered by a lack of knowledge of the critical phenological phases at which management should be focussed. The objective of the present review was to identify the yield-limiting phases in the growth of the oat crop in order to optimize management and to maximize yield. The methodology employed was to identify characteristics associated with either the pre-anthesis grain number determination phase or with the post-anthesis grain filling phase. Characteristics associated with the pre-anthesis phase were identified as a positive linear relationship between yield and grain number, in addition to insensitivity of grain weight to changes in assimilate supply. Characteristics associated with the post-anthesis grain filling phase were identified as an absence of a relationship between yield and sink size (grain number) and changes in grain weight in response to changes in assimilate supply. Data was taken from published literature. Yields of both winter- and spring-sown hulled oats increased linearly with grain number showing a strong influence of grain number on yield. Grain weight of both winter- and spring-hulled oats, however, decreased with increasing grain number suggesting that competition for assimilates may exist at high grain number. Further evidence of the influence of assimilate supply on grain yield was obtained from several studies which showed that yield increased with leaf area duration as well as from studies where grain weight was found to decrease after reductions in assimilate supply per grain, whereas grain weight increased when assimilate supply to grain was increased. Oat crops also feature a grain abortion mechanism when assimilate supply is constrained. Yield of naked oats increased with grain number before reaching a plateau, a trend which suggests source limitation at high grain numbers. The available evidence suggests that yield is primarily determined by grain number determination but that grain yield is also potentially limited by assimilate availability in the post-anthesis period. It is recommended that crop management strategies for oats should aim both to increase grain number in the pre-anthesis period but also prolong the grain filling period after anthesis. Such a post-anthesis strategy should both reduce the possibility of yield being limited by assimilate availability and compensate for the production of smaller grains at higher grain numbers.

Type
Crops and Soils Research Papers
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 155 , Issue 1 , January 2017 , pp. 1 - 17
Check for updates
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2016 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Acreche, M. M. & Slafer, G. A. (2006). Grain weight response to increases in number of grains in wheat in a mediterranean area. Field Crops Research 98, 52–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anderson, W. K. & McLean, R. (1989). Increased responsiveness of short oat cultivars to early sowing, nitrogen fertilizer and seed rate. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 40, 729–744.Google Scholar
Andrade, F. H., Sadras, V. O., Vega, C. R. C. & Echarte, L. (2005). Physiological determinants of crop growth and yield in maize, sunflower and soybean: their application to crop management, modeling and breeding. Journal of Crop Improvement 14, 51–101.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Anon (2009). Reaping the Benefits. Science and the Sustainable Intensification of Global Agriculture. Royal Society Policy Document 11/09. London: Royal Society.Google Scholar
Anon (2010). How to feed a hungry world. Nature 466, 531–532.Google Scholar
Anon (2013). Five-year Global Supply and Demand Projections. London: International Grains Council. Available from: http://www.igc.int/en/downloads/grainsupdate/igc_5yrprojections.pdf (verified 18 December 2015).Google Scholar
Austin, R. B., Morgan, C. L., Ford, M. A. & Blackwell, R. D. (1980). Contributions to grain yield from pre-anthesis assimilation in tall and dwarf barley phenotypes in two contrasting seasons. Annals of Botany 45, 309–319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beed, F. D., Paveley, N. D. & Sylvester-Bradley, R. (2007). Predictability of wheat growth and yield in light-limited conditions. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 145, 63–79.Google Scholar
Bingham, I. J., Blake, J., Foulkes, J. M. & Spink, J. (2007 a). Is barley yield in the UK sink limited? I. Post-anthesis radiation interception, radiation-use efficiency and source-sink balance. Field Crops Research 101, 198–211.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bingham, I. J., Blake, J., Foulkes, J. M. & Spink, J. (2007 b). Is barley yield in the UK sink limited? II. Factors affecting potential grain size. Field Crops Research 101, 212–220.Google Scholar
Bingham, I. J., Walters, D. R., Foulkes, M. J. & Paveley, N. D. (2009). Crop traits and the tolerance of wheat and barley to foliar disease. Annals of Applied Biology 154, 159–173.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blum, A. (1998). Improving wheat grain filling under stress by stem reserve mobilisation. Euphytica 100, 77–83.Google Scholar
Borras, L., Slafer, G. A. & Otegui, M. E. (2004). Seed dry weight response to source-sink manipulations in wheat, maize and soybean: a quantitative reappraisal. Field Crops Research 86, 131–146.Google Scholar
Brinkman, M. A. & Frey, K. J. (1978). Flag leaf physiological analysis of oat isolines that differ in grain yield from their recurrent parents. Crop Science 18, 69–73.Google Scholar
Browne, R. A., White, E. M. & Burke, J. I. (2003). Effect of nitrogen, seed rate and plant growth regulator (chlormequat chloride) on the grain quality of oats (Avena sativa). Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 141, 249–258.Google Scholar
Browne, R. A., White, E. M. & Burke, J. I. (2006). Responses of developmental yield formation processes in oats to variety, nitrogen, seed rate and plant growth regulator and their relationship to quality. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 144, 533–545.Google Scholar
Buerstmayr, H., Krenn, N., Stephan, U., Grausgruber, H. & Zechner, E. (2007). Agronomic performance and quality of oat (Avena sativa L.) genotypes of worldwide origin produced under Central European growing conditions. Field Crops Research 101, 343–351.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chmielewski, F. M. & Kohn, W. (1999). The impact of weather on yield components of spring cereals over 30 years. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 96, 49–58.Google Scholar
Cochrane, M. P. & Duffus, C. M. (1983). Endosperm cell number in cultivars of barley differing in grain weight. Annals of Applied Biology 102, 177–181.Google Scholar
Criswell, J. G. & Shibles, R. M. (1972). Influence of sink-source on flag leaf net photosynthesis in oats. Iowa State Journal of Science 46, 405–415.Google Scholar
Doehlert, D. C., McMullen, M. S. & Riveland, N. R. (2002). Sources of variation in oat kernel size. Cereal Chemistry 79, 528–534.Google Scholar
Early, E. B., McIlrath, W. O., Seif, R. D. & Hageman, R. H. (1967). Effects of shade applied at different stages of plant development on corn (Zea mays L.) production. Crop Science 7, 151–156.Google Scholar
Ehlers, W. (1991). Leaf area and transpiration efficiency during different growth stages in oats. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 116, 183–190.Google Scholar
Fischer, R. A. (1975). Yield potential in a dwarf spring wheat and the effect of shading. Crop Science 15, 607–613.Google Scholar
Fischer, R. A. (1985). Number of kernels in wheat crops and the influence of solar radiation and temperature. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 105, 447–461.Google Scholar
Fischer, R. A. (2007). Understanding the physiological basis of yield potential in wheat. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 145, 99–113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fischer, R. A. (2008). The importance of grain or kernel number in wheat: a reply to Sinclair and Jamieson. Field Crops Research 105, 15–21.Google Scholar
Fischer, R. A. & Maurer, R. (1978). Drought resistance in spring wheat cultivars. I. Grain yield responses. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 29, 897–912.Google Scholar
Fischer, R. A. & Stockman, Y. M. (1980). Kernel number per spike in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): responses to preanthesis shading. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 7, 169–180.Google Scholar
Foth, H. D., Robertson, L. S. & Brown, H. M. (1964). Effect of row spacing distance on oat performance. Agronomy Journal 56, 70–73.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Foulkes, M. J., Reynolds, M. P. & Sylvester-Bradley, R. (2009). Genetic improvement of grain crops: yield potential. In Crop Physiology: Applications for Genetic Improvement and Agronomy (Eds Sadras, V. O. & Calderini, D. F.), pp. 355–385. Amsterdam: Elsevier Academic Press.Google Scholar
Frey, K. J. (1962). Influence of leaf-blade removal on seed weight of oats. Iowa State Journal of Science 37, 17–22.Google Scholar
Gales, K. (1983). Yield variation of wheat and barley in Britain in relation to crop growth and soil conditions – a review. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 34, 1085–1104.Google Scholar
Godfray, H. C. J., Beddington, J. R., Crute, I. R., Haddad, L., Lawrence, D., Muir, J. F., Pretty, J., Robinson, S., Thomas, S. M. & Toulmin, C. (2010). Food security: the challenge of feeding 9 billion people. Science 327, 812–818.Google Scholar
Gooding, R. W. & Lafever, H. N. (1991). Yield and yield components of spring oat for various planting dates. Journal of Production Agriculture 4, 382–385.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Griffiths, I. M. (2010). Dissecting the yield components of winter oats (Avena sativa L.). A study of physiology and genetics of UK winter oats lines. PhD thesis, Aberystwyth University.Google Scholar
Guitard, A. A., Newman, J. A. & Hoyt, P. B. (1961). The influence of seeding rate on the yield and the yield components of wheat, oats and barley. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 41, 751–758.Google Scholar
Hay, R. K. M. & Walker, A. J. (1989). Dry matter partitioning. In An Introduction to the Physiology of Crop Yield (Eds Hay, R. K. M. & Walker, A. J.), pp. 107–156. Harlow, Essex, England: Longman Scientific and Technical.Google Scholar
Helsel, D. B. & Frey, K. J. (1978). Grain yield variations in oats associated with differences in leaf area duration. Crop Science 18, 765–769.Google Scholar
Hisir, Y., Kara, R. & Dokuyucu, T. (2012). Evaluation of oat (Avena sativa L.) genotypes for grain yield and physiological traits. Zemdirbyste (Agriculture) 99, 55–60.Google Scholar
Klinck, H. R. & Sim, S. L. (1976). The influence of source of photosynthate and sink size on grain yield in oats (Avena sativa L.). Annals of Botany 40, 785–793.Google Scholar
Lawes, D. A. (1977). Yield improvement in spring oats. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 89, 751–757.Google Scholar
Leitch, M. H. & Hayes, J. D. (1989). Effects of chlormequat application on stem characteristics, yield and panicle conformation of winter oats. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 113, 17–26.Google Scholar
Leitch, M. H. & Hayes, J. D. (1990). Effects of single and repeated applications of chlormequat on early development. Lodging resistance and yield of winter oats. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 115, 11–14.Google Scholar
Marshall, A., Cowan, S., Edwards, S., Griffiths, I., Howarth, C., Langdon, T. & White, E. (2013). Crops that feed the world 9. Oats – a cereal crop for human and livestock feed with industrial applications. Food Security 5, 13–33.Google Scholar
Martin, R. J., Jamieson, P. D., Gillespie, R. N. & Maley, S. (2001). Effect of timing and intensity of drought on the yield of oats (Avena sativa L.). In Science and Technology: Delivering Results for Agriculture? Proceedings of the Australian Agronomy Conference 2001, Hobart, January 2001 (Eds Rowe, B., Donaghy, D. & Mendham, N.). Gosford, Australia: The Regional Publishing Institute Ltd. Available from: http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2001/1/b/martin.htm (verified 18 December 2015).Google Scholar
Miralles, D. J. & Slafer, G. A. (1995). Individual grain weight responses to genetic reduction in culm length in wheat as affected by source-sink manipulations. Field Crops Research 43, 55–66.Google Scholar
Miralles, D. J. & Slafer, G. A. (2007). Sink limitations to yield in wheat: how could it be reduced? Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 145, 139–149.Google Scholar
Moot, D. J., Crampton, M. W. & Martin, R. J. (1998). Grain growth within oat panicles. In Agronomy, Growing a Greener Future? Proceedings of the 9th Australian Agronomy Conference, 20–23 July 1998 (Eds Michalk, D. L. & Pratley, J. E.). Gosford, Australia: The Regional Publishing Institute Ltd. Available from: http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/1998/5/206moot.htm (verified 18 December 2015).Google Scholar
Nicolas, M. E., Gleadow, R. M. & Dalling, M. J. (1984). Effects of drought and high temperature on grain growth in wheat. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology 11, 553–566.Google Scholar
Parker, S. R., Welham, S., Paveley, N. D., Foulkes, J. & Scott, R. K. (2004). Tolerance of septoria leaf blotch in winter wheat. Plant Pathology 53, 1–10.Google Scholar
Pecio, A. & Bichonski, A. (2010). Nitrogen fertilization and fungicide application as elements of oat production. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies 19, 1297–1305.Google Scholar
Peltonen, P. (1990). Seasonal alterations in canopy architecture of oat (Avena sativa L.) and their relations to yield formation. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica 40, 221–230.Google Scholar
Peltonen-Sainio, P. (1990). Genetic improvements in the structure of oat stands in northern growing conditions during this century. Plant Breeding 104, 340–345.Google Scholar
Peltonen-Sainio, P. (1994). Yield component differences between naked and conventional oat. Agronomy Journal 86, 510–513.Google Scholar
Peltonen-Sainio, P. (1997 a). Nitrogen fertilizer and foliar application of cytokinin affect spikelet and floret set and survival in oat. Field Crops Research 49, 169–176.Google Scholar
Peltonen-Sainio, P. (1997 b). Leaf area duration of oat at high latitudes. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 178, 149–155.Google Scholar
Peltonen-Sainio, P., Granqvist, M. & Saynajarvi, A. (1993). Yield formation in modern and old oat cultivars under high and low nitrogen regimes. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 171, 268–273.Google Scholar
Peltonen-Sainio, P., Forsman, K. & Poutala, T. (1997). Crop management effects on pre and post anthesis changes in leaf area index and leaf area duration and their contribution to grain yield and yield components in spring cereals. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science 179, 47–61.Google Scholar
Peltonen-Sainio, P., Kangas, A., Salo, Y. & Jauhiainen, L. (2007). Grain number dominates grain weight in temperate cereal yield determination: evidence based on 30 years of multi-location trials. Field Crops Research 100, 179–188.Google Scholar
Peltonen-Sainio, P., Muurinen, S., Rajala, A. & Jauhiainen, L. (2008). Variation in harvest index of modern spring barley, oat and wheat cultivars adapted to northern growing conditions. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 146, 35–47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peltonen-Sainio, P., Rajala, A., Kankanen, H. & Hakala, K. (2009). Improving farming systems in northern European conditions. In Crop Physiology: Applications for Genetic Improvement and Agronomy (Eds Sadras, V. O. & Calderini, D. F.), pp. 71–90. Amsterdam: Elsevier Academic Press.Google Scholar
Peltonen-Sainio, P., Jauhiainen, L. & Hakala, K. (2011). Crop responses to temperature and precipitation according to long-term multi-location trials at high latitude conditions. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 149, 49–62.Google Scholar
Peterson, D. M. (1983). Effects of spikelet removal and post-heading thinning on distribution of dry matter and N in oats. Field Crops Research 7, 41–50.Google Scholar
Peterson, D. M. (1992). Oat beta glucan and tocols. In Proceedings of the Fourth International Oat Conference – The Changing Role of Oats in Human and Animal Nutrition (Ed. Barr, A. R.), pp. 19–24. Adelaide: Organising Committee, Fourth International Oat Conference.Google Scholar
Peterson, D. M., Schrader, L. E., Cataldo, D. A., Youngs, V. L. & Smith, D. (1975). Assimilation and remobilization of nitrogen and carbohydrates in oats, especially as related to groat protein concentration. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 55, 19–28.Google Scholar
Rajala, A., Hakala, K., Makela, P., Muurinen, S. & Peltonen-Sainio, P. (2009). Spring wheat response to timing of water deficit through sink and grain filling capacity. Field Crops Research 114, 263–271.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reynolds, M. P., Pellegrineschi, A. & Skovmand, B. (2005). Sink-limitation to yield and biomass: a summary of some investigations in spring wheat. Annals of Applied Biology 146, 39–49.Google Scholar
Reynolds, M. P., Calderini, D., Condon, A. & Vargas, M. (2007). Association of source/sink traits with yield, biomass and radiation use efficiency among random sister lines from three wheat crosses in a high yield environment. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 145, 3–16.Google Scholar
Robert, C., Bancal, M. O., Nicolas, P., Lannou, C. & Ney, B. (2004). Analysis and modelling of effects of leaf rust and Septoria tritici blotch on wheat growth. Journal of Experimental Botany 55, 1079–1094.Google Scholar
Salman, A. A. & Brinkman, M. A. (1992). Association of pre- and post-heading growth traits with grain-yield in oats. Field Crops Research 28, 211–221.Google Scholar
Savin, R. & Slafer, G. A. (1991). Shading effects on the yield of an Argentinian wheat cultivar. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 116, 1–7.Google Scholar
Schnyder, H. (1993). The role of carbohydrate storage and redistribution in the source-sink relations of wheat and barley during grain filling – a review. New Phytologist 123, 233–245.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Scott, W. R., Appleyard, M., Fellowes, G. & Kirby, E. J. M. (1983). Effect of genotype and position in the ear on carpel and grain growth and mature grain weight of spring barley. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 100, 383–391.Google Scholar
Serrago, R. A., Carretero, R., Bancal, M. O. & Miralles, D. J. (2011). Grain weight response to foliar diseases control in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Field Crops Research 120, 352–359.Google Scholar
Serrago, R. A., Alzueta, I., Savin, R. & Slafer, G. A. (2013). Understanding grain yield responses to source-sink ratios during grain filling in wheat and barley under contrasting environments. Field Crops Research 150, 42–51.Google Scholar
Sinclair, T. R. & Jamieson, P. D. (2006). Grain number, wheat yield, and bottling bear: an analysis. Field Crops Research 98, 60–67.Google Scholar
Sinclair, T. R. & Jamieson, P. D. (2008). Yield and grain number of wheat: a correlation or causal relationship? Authors response to “The importance of grain or kernel number in wheat: A reply to Sinclair and Jamieson” by R.A. Fischer. Field Crops Research 105, 22–26.Google Scholar
Slafer, G. A. (2003). Genetic basis of yield as viewed from a crop physiologist's perspective. Annals of Applied Biology 142, 117–128.Google Scholar
Slafer, G. A. & Savin, R. (1994). Source-sink relationships and grain mass at different positions within the spike in wheat. Field Crops Research 37, 39–49.Google Scholar
Slafer, G. A., Calderini, D. F. & Miralles, D. J. (1996). Yield components and compensation in wheat: opportunities for further increasing yield potential. In Increasing Yield Potential in Wheat: Breaking the Barriers (Eds Reynolds, M. P., Rajaram, S. & McNab, A.), pp. 101–133. Mexico, D.F.: CIMMYT. Available from: http://repository.cimmyt.org/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10883/1216/62227.pdf?sequence=1 (verified 18 December 2015).Google Scholar
Soovali, P. & Koppel, M. (2011). Timing of fungicide application for profitable disease management in oats (Avena sativa L.). Zemdirbyste (Agriculture) 98, 167–174.Google Scholar
Stephens, E. J., Armstrong, K. W., Bezar, H. J., Griffin, W. B. & Hampton, J. G. (2004). Fodder oats, an overview. In Fodder Oats: a World Overview (Eds Suttie, J. M. & Reynolds, J. G.), pp. 11–18. Rome: FAO. Available from: http://www.fao.org/docrep/008/y5765e/y5765e00.HTM (verified 18 December 2015).Google Scholar
Takeda, K. & Frey, K. J. (1980). Tertiary seed set in oat cultivars. Crop Science 20, 771–774.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Takeda, K., Frey, K. J. & Bailey, T. B. (1987). Relationships among traits in F9-derived lines of oats. Iowa State Journal of Research 62, 313–327.Google Scholar
Tibelius, A. C. & Klinck, H. R. (1987). Effects of artificial reduction in panicle size on weight of secondary seeds in oats (Avena sativa L.). Canadian Journal of Plant Science 67, 621–628.Google Scholar
Wade, A. & Maunsell, C. (2004). Assessing the Impact of Improved Crop Management on Naked Oat Quality for Poultry Production. Part of avian feed efficiency from naked oats (AFENO). HGCA Report No. 337. London: HGCA. Available from http://www.hgca.com/media/376028/337_complete_final_report.pdf (verified 18 December 2015).Google Scholar
Wardlaw, I. F. (1990). Tansley review no. 27. The control of carbon partitioning in plants. New Phytologist 116, 341–381.Google Scholar
Welch, R. W. & Yong, Y. Y. (1980). The effects of variety and nitrogen fertilizer on protein production in oats. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 31, 541–548.Google Scholar
White, E. M. (1995). Structure and development of oats. In The Oat Crop: Production and Utilization (Ed. Welch, R. W.), pp. 88–119. London: Chapman and Hall.Google Scholar
White, E. M., McGarel, A. S. L. & Ruddle, O. (2003). The influence of variety, year, disease control and plant growth regulator application on crop damage, yield and quality of winter oats (Avena sativa). Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 140, 31–42.Google Scholar
Wych, R. D. & Stuthman, D. D. (1983). Genetic improvement in Minnesota-adapted oat cultivars released since 1923. Crop Science 23, 879–881.Google Scholar
Young, V. L. (1986). Oat lipids and lipid related enzymes. In Oats: Chemistry and Technology (Ed. Webster, F. H.), pp. 205–226. St Paul, MN, USA: American Association of Cereal Chemists.Google Scholar
Young, V. L. & Shands, H. L. (1974). Variation in oat kernel characteristics within the panicle. Crop Science 14, 578–580.CrossRefGoogle Scholar