Oat is native to the Fertile Crescent, an area that spans from Israel to Iran, but it has been naturalized throughout temperate areas of the globe and cultivated for approximately 3,000 years.3 Avena sativa is thought to be descended from a wild ancestor, A. sterilis. It grows well in cool, damp climates but is adaptable and tolerates soil with high salinity.4 Avena sativa is one of 25 accepted species in the genus Avena, which includes other species of oat that are not as easily adaptable or cultivated outside of their native regions, including A. byzantina in Turkey, A. strigosa in the western Mediterranean, and A. abyssinica in Ethiopia.
展开▼
