COLD TOLERANCE IN EUROPEAN OAT GENETIC RESOURCES

Abstract

Oat is a crop with an important European history and tradition. The high value of oat in human nutrition, which is unique among cereals, is widely recognized and confirmed by health claims issued in various countries. It is based on a high content and quality of proteins, considerable content of fat with high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids, high contents of dietary fiber, especially the soluble, highly viscous mixed linked (1->3)(1->4)-ß-D-glucans, which hypo-cholesterolemic effects, minerals and antioxidants, especially tocopherols, tocotrienols and avenanthramides. Oat is considered moderately susceptible to Fusarium spp. infection and mycotoxin contamination. Nevertheless T2/HT-2 toxins raise considerable concerns in the European health administration (European Commission, 2006). Among winter cereals, oat is the most frost sensitive and its insufficient level of winterhardiness is the most important factor limiting the sowing of winter oat in Northern and Central Europe (Cattivelli et al., 1998). Resistance to low temperatures, which limited yield potential and sustainable oat growing in many major oat growing regions in Europe, was the main aspect which have been evaluated in this paper. The results of the evaluation of frost tolerance at first leaf stage, accomplished in the   laboratory of Experimental Institute for Cereal Research, Fiorenzuola d’Arda, Italy were compared with the data of winter hardiness obtained in the field experiments carried out by Suceava Genebank in environments more frequently subjected to severe frost events, as compared to the Italian site