Effects of growth period and variety on whole plant yield and nutritional value of Avena sativa

In the present study, the effects of different growth periods on the yield and nutritional value of 15 oat varieties (Avena sativa) were investigated. The results provide a scientific reference for the introduction of high-yield and high-quality oat varieties in the Ordos region in China. The main results were as follows: 1) the varieties with the highest hay yield in the grain filling stage, milky stage, and waxy stage were ‘Everleaf 256’, ‘Souris’, and ‘Yellow Oat’, respectively; 2) the varieties with the highest crude protein content in the grain filling stage, milky stage, and waxy stage were ‘Everleaf 256’, ‘Qingyin No.2’, and ‘Sweet Oat’, respectively; 3) the varieties with the lowest crude ash content in the grain filling stage, milky stage, and waxy stage were ‘Qingyin No.1’, ‘Baiyan No.7’, and ‘Yellow Oat’, respectively; 4) the neutral detergent fiber content of ‘Qingyin No.2’ was the lowest in the grain filling stage, and the variety with the lowest neutral detergent fiber content in the milky stage and waxy stage was ‘Baiyan No.7’; 5) the variety with the lowest acid detergent fiber content in the grain filling stage, milky stage, and waxy stage was ‘Baiyan No.7’; 6) as the growth period increased, the hay yield of ‘Baiyan No.7’ decreased first and then increased, and the crude protein content did not change significantly, while the acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber content decreased significantly. These results indicate that ‘Baiyan No.7’, a high-yield and high-quality oat variety whose most suitable cutting period is the waxy stage, shows potential as a crop in the Ordos Region.