| Scientific name: | Avena sativa |
| Cultivars: | Many --with types that are early, medium, and late maturing.
White oats, red oats (best adapted to warm climate), usually lower weight per bushel, and more hulls.
Awned or awnless.
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| Origin: | Northen and central Europe |
| Growth Habit: | Bunch; 3 to 5 feet |
| Life Cycle: | Annual; 90 to 120 d |
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| Use |
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| Production: | Click this link for WI variety testing
Click this link for WI county estimates |
| Nutritive Value: | High digestibility, protein and oil |
| Herbaria Image: | Click this link |
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| Identification |
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| Seed Head: | Panicle; it takes 28-30 days from heading to maturing |
| Seed: | 32 lb/bushel
Kernels may be white, yellow, gray, red or black |
| Shoot: | 15 to 70 in; hollow
A single seed usually produces 3-7 stems |
| Leaf: | Flat; 0.5-1.5 inch wide; 3-18 inch long |
| Auricles: | Absent |
| Ligule: | Present, medium length |
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| Adaptation |
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| Soil: | Well drained |
| pH: | 6-7 |
| Moisture: | Requires more moisture than other cereals. |
| Temperature: | Withstand 25°F without damageCool weather is important for high yield (grain filling and ripening)
Least cold tolerant of the small grains |
| Other: | For companion crops use earlier maturing, stiff-straw, short cultivars |
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| Establishment - Management |
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| Seeding rate: | 90-120 lb/acre (oat only); 45-60 lb/acre (mixed) |
| Seed cost: | $1.1/lb; $55/50 lb; $100/acre |
| Planting date: | Spring (reaching maturity 90-120 days after germination) |
| Planting depth: | 1 1/2 inch |
| Frost seeding: | Yes, ideal conditions are when snow is gone, the soil is not frozen and the night temperatures drop to 28°F to 19°F. |
| Fertilization: | Oats do better on less fertile soils than other small grains. Commercial fertilizer use may be profitable
15-to-40 lb N/acre is recommended depending on previous crop.
60 lb N/acre can be used for hay or pasture
Manure is recommend |
| Grazing: | Clipping or grazing is done in the vegetative stage and terminated before stem elongation. If the floral stem is removed the plants lose the ability to produce grain. |
| Hay: | Most spring oats are harvested in the month of July. When harvested for grain, moisture content should be 13-14%, which happens a week after they are 'ripe' or mature.
The ideal harvest stage for oats is mid-to late boot |
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| Notes |
WI ranks 3rd in the country in oat production after ND and SD
Diseases include smut (Ustilago spp.) crown rust (Puccinia spp.), Septoria blight and leaf blotch
Insects pest are cereal leaf beetle, army worms |
