Oat breeding at the University of Minnesota

The goal of the University of Minnesota oat breeding program is to provide producers and processors with improved oat varieties. Research focuses on improving yield, disease resistance, and lodging resistance and also screens potential lines for nutritional traits such as protein and oil content. 

Significant efforts are directed towards improving resistance to crown rust, which many varieties are particularly susceptible to. Research also seeks to improve resistance to crown rust, loose smut, barley yellow dwarf, and root rots. 

The oat breeding program uses classical breeding techniques supported by trait discovery through the use of phenotypic and genomic tools.