Production performance and adaptability of 12 oat varieties in the gully region of Loess Plateau

To screen Avena sativa varieties for high yield, lodging resistance, and strong disease resistance suitable for planting in the gully region of the Loess Plateau, 12 oat varieties introduced at home and abroad were used as experimental materials to study their yield related traits, lodging rate, and disease incidence. Grey correlation analysis and cluster analysis were used for comprehensive evaluation. The results showed that the hay yield of 12 oat varieties ranged from 10800.00 to 15233.33 kg·ha⁻¹, with an average of 1 3298.61 kg·ha⁻¹. The seed yield ranged from 3 095.24 to 7 857.14 kg·ha⁻¹, with an average of 5 407.14 kg·ha⁻¹. The lodging rate of ‘Bayan No. 6’ was low, and the incidences of red leaf and rust diseases were the lowest. The results of grey relational degree analysis showed that plant height, hay yield, and leaf-stem ratio had the highest weight in the grey relational evaluation system, and were important indicators for variety selection. Twelve oat varieties were divided into three groups by cluster analysis. Group Ⅰ varieties could be used as forage varieties, and group Ⅱ varieties as grain varieties. Group Ⅲ varieties had low lodging rate and disease index, but had good stress resistance. Based on the method of grey relational analysis and cluster analysis, the forage variety ‘Jiayan No. 2’, grain variety ‘Bayan No. 6’, and the variety ‘Meida’, which are suitable for planting in the gully region of the Loess Plateau, were selected and are characterized by high yield and good adaptability.