Crop 5

OatsAvena sativa

Origin Asiatic in nature – Asia minor World Area ad distribution – 26.8M ha 40.3 M t Countries – USSR, USA, Canada, Poland, China, France, Australia India – Punjab, Haryana, UP and limited ares in MP, Orissa, Bihar, WB

Uses– Good cattle feed, human feed, good quality grain, oat meal, cookies

Cultivated types 7 haploid (14 chromosomes) 14 haploid (28 chromosomes) 21 haploid (42 chromosomes)

A brevis short oat grown in S. Europe for green fodder A abyssinica – Abyssinian oat – N. Africa Common oat – 80% total oat area Red oat – grown around Mediterranean

Oats – soil & climate Grows best in cool, moist climate Best adapted to cotton belt Cool weather is important during grain filling for high and quality yield Soil- wide range of soil – good water holding capacity

High N content is not a desirable condition may lead to lodgingOats – cultivation techniquesLand preparation- as that of wheatSeeds & sowing

Fanning the light weight seeds, even if germinate week stem and poor yield 25-30% seeds are normally rejected Seed rate – 100 kg /ha

Varieties – Kent, Algerian, Bunker10, Coachmen, HFO 114, UPO 50 Time of sowing- Mid Oct to Mid Nov

Oct middle for fodder production Nov middle for grain

Method of sowing - drill sowing than broadcastingSpacing

20-23cm for fodder 23-25cm for grain

Manures and fertilizer 80:40:0 kg N, P2O5, K2O 60kg N basal 10kg at I irrigation 10kg at after I cutting if sown for fodder cum grain

Water management Higher water than wheat

4-5 irrigations, generally immediately after each cutting Critical stage is tillering for oat

Weed management One hand weeding is good

Harvesting 120-150 days to mature Common practice to have 2 or 3 cuttings for fodder and then leave to grain 2 cuttings and grain can be a viable technology for both Yield 50-60t fodder + 200-400 kg grain Maximum grain yield of 3 -3.5t /ha is possible

Rotation Jowar-oat-maize Maize- oat-maize Cowpea – oat+mustard – maize+cowpea Jowar+cowpea – oat+lucerne