Oat varieties highly resistant to crown rust and their probable agronomic value

Information on the origin, introduction, nomenclature, and probable agronomic value of certain new varieties of oats resistant to or nearly immune from crown rust is reported. Bond (C.I. No. 2733), a new hybrid variety from Australia, is outstanding from the standpoint of resistance to crown rust in combination with desirable agronomic characters. Kareela (C.I. No. 2774) was originated in Australia as a selection from Fulghum and has shown partial resistance to crown rust. Under natural epiphytotics it was highly resistant at Ames, Iowa, and Manhattan, Kans., in 1931, and at Ames, Iowa, in 1932, but completely susceptible at Tifton, Ga., in 1932. The two Victoria strains (C.I. Nos. 2401 and 2764) have shown high resistance to 32 physiologic forms of crown rust collected in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in the 5 years from 1927 to 1931. Other new varieties that show considerable resistance under natural epiphytotics of crown rust are Capa (C.I. No. 2765), Pampa (C.I. No. 2767), and Alber (C.I. No. 2766). Still other new varieties worthy of consideration with respect to resistance to crown rust are Capa (C.I. No. 2860), Criolla (C.I. No. 2862), the unnamed oat (C.I. No. 2863), Red Algerian (C.I. Nos. 2861 and 2867), and Berger (C.I. No. 2926). Bond produced favorable yields at five stations in 1932, indicating that it may be of agronomic promise. Kareela has produced favorable yields from spring seeding only. Alber has equaled the yields of the best Red Rustproof strains when grown from fall seeding in south Georgia in the crop year 1931-32. The various strains of Victoria and Capa have been generally low in yield and probably are of little or no agronomic value in themselves. The chief value of these new crown-rust-resistant strains, including Bond and Kareela, will be for the development of more desirable agronomic varieties by hybridization.