Cool Season Annual
Oat is an upright annual grass. One of the go to forage species, but is later maturing than barley. It has a moderate water use and decent drought tolerance. Heat tolerance is moderate. Salinity rating is fair. Oat will regrow if cut or grazed during the vegetative stage of growth. It has a deeper root system than most other cool season annual grasses grown in the prairies.
Seeds per pound: 12,000 Seeds/sq ft/pound 0.3
Uses:
- Erosion control
- Soil builder
- Nitrogen scavenger
- Weed suppression
- Grazing potential
- Hay potential
Strengths:
- Different disease package than barley or wheat
- Decent drought tolerance
- Slower dry down than barley
- Grain easier to disease
- Better regrowth than barley or wheat
Concerns:
High hull content can interfere with grain digestion, not easy to control wild oats.
Grazing:
Good. One of the best annual cereals for regrowth.
Hay:
Good. Longer period of time for cutting.
Mycorrhizal support? Yes
