Improving grain yield in backcross populations from Avena sativa × A. sterilis matings by using independent culling for harvest index and vegetative growth index or unit straw weight.

Grain yield was selected in Avena sativa X A. sterilis populations of segregates by applying independent culling for harvest index and either vegetative growth index or unit straw weight. Samples of lines intensively selected for harvest index had high harvest index but low grain yield because they had low vigor. Populations intensively selected for growth rate index or unit straw weight had high biological yield but low harvest index. Intensive selection for grain yield per se resulted in samples with high grain yield, but they were late and tall. Samples selected for harvest index at a 25% selection intensity first and subsequently selected for vegetative growth index or unit straw weight had grain yield as high as the samples selected for grain yield per se and vegetative growth index, and they had acceptable heading date and plant height. Backcrosses three and four were best, among the various BC generations, for selecting oat lines with high grain yield and suitable agronomic traits. CI 7463 was superior to CI 8044 as a recurrent parent, and B 445 was inferior to other A. sterilis accessions as a donor parent.