Variation in maturity among oats varieties and its implications for integration into the highland farming systems

摘要

Thispaperpresentsthevariationinmaturityamong20oats(AvenasativaL.)varietiesassessedintermsofthedurationsrequiredbythevarietiestoattaindifferentphysiologicalgrowthstages(boot,heading,milk,softdoughandgrainmaturitystages).TheintentionwastoanalyzethepracticalimplicationsofdifferencesinmaturityamongthevarietiesinviewofpeculiaritiesofthedifferentfarmingsystemsandthevariousaspectsofoatsutilizationinthehighlandsofEthiopia.nbsp;Therewasmarkedvariationamongthevarietieswithrespecttothedurationsrequiredtoattainthedifferentgrowthstages.Takingthesoftdoughstageasareferencephysiologicalmaturitystageforforageharvest,therewasonaverageadifferenceof31daysbetweentheearly(117days:CokerSRres80SA130)andlatematuringvarieties(148days:Grayalgeris).Thestudyalsorevealedthatmostofthedifferenceinmaturityamongthevarietieswasattributedtodifferencesinthedurationsofthevegetativegrowthperiod(plantingtoheading)thanthegrainfillingperiod.Thisfeaturehasimportantpracticalimplicationsformakingproperchoiceofthevarietiesforsuccessfulintegrationintothefarmingsystemandfeedproduction.nbsp;Ingeneral,thevariationinmaturityamongtheoatsvarietiesallowstheproducerstogrowthepropervarietyaccordingtothefarmingsystemandintendedpurposeofproduction.Accordingly,earlymaturingvarietiescouldbepreferablygrownasprecursorcropstochickpea/lathyrus,tomakeefficientuseofthesmallamountofmoistureduringbelgcroppingandincaseswherecut-and-carryfeedingistargetedtocurbfeedshortageduringthemainrainyseason.Ontheotherhand,latematuringvarietiescouldbethebetterchoiceincaseswherehaymakingandpreservationfordryseasonistargeted.nbsp;