COMMON OAT BREEDING IN IRKUTSK OBLAST
The article presents the results of studies on creation of initial material for breeding of new high-yielding common oat varieties adapted to the conditions of Irkutsk Oblast. The investigations were conducted in the Selection department of the Irkutsk Scientific Research Institute of Agriculture. The soil of an experimental plot is gray forest, heavy loamy, mid-fertile. Field and laboratory observations were made according to common-accepted methods. 272 varieties and samples of local selection, as well as from the collection of All-Russian Institute of Plant Growing and other Russia's regions were studied in the collection nursery. The selection material was chosen for parent forms. The basic criteria in selection were yielding capacity, grain quality and size, vegetation period, resistance to lodging and diseases. Hybridization was fulfilled on 18 combinations, 2307 hybrid grains were obtained. The first year selection nursery included 5873 families studied, 3128 lines were chosen after field and laboratory observations. There were 153 lines studied in the second year selection nursery of which 78 samples were picked up after examination. Eighteen variety samples passed through competitive variety testing. According to yielding capacity, seven samples exceed the standard - Yegorych variety - by 0.10 - 0.55 t/hа. Higher productivity is provided by samples 2205 h 39, 2164 h 23 and 2082 h 37. They ripen in 76 days. As for the weight of 1000 grains, sample 2221 h 56 is distinguished, its grain is larger by 7.1 g in comparison to the standard. The higher protein content was demonstrated by samples 2205 h 39 and 2082 h 37. The new variety samples are more resistant to lodging and loose smut. They will be used for breeding of new high-yielding common oat varieties. Sample 2205 h 39 is prepared for transferring to the state variety test.