Oats redirects here. It may mean either the common cereal oat discussed here, or any cultivated or wild species of the genus Avena. A genus (plural genera from Γένος Latin genus "descent family type gender" is a low-level Taxonomic The oats ( Avena) are a Genus of 10-15 Species of true grasses ( family Poaceae)

Oat
Oat plants with inflorescences
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Liliopsida Order: Poales Family: Poaceae Genus: Avena Species: A. An inflorescence is a group or cluster of Flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main Branch or a complicated arrangement of branches Plants are living Organisms belonging to the kingdom Plantae. The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Liliopsida is a Botanical name for the class containing the family Liliaceae (or Lily Family Poales is an order of Flowering plants in the Monocotyledons and includes families of plants such as the grasses, Bromeliads, Poaceae or Gramineae is a family in the Class Liliopsida of the flowering plants. The oats ( Avena) are a Genus of 10-15 Species of true grasses ( family Poaceae) sativa
Binomial name
Avena sativa L. (1753)

The common oat plant (Avena sativa) is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name (usually in the plural, unlike other grains). Carl Linnaeus (Latinized as Carolus Linnaeus, also known after his ennoblement as, May 23 new style (13 May old style 1707 who laid the foundations for In Biology, a species is one of the basic units of Biological classification and a Taxonomic rank. Agriculture refers to the production of goods through the growing of plants and fungi and the raising of domesticated Animals The study of agriculture While oats are suitable for human consumption as oatmeal and rolled oats, one of the most common uses is as livestock feed. Breakfast cereal health benefits There has been increasing interest in oatmeal in recent years due to its beneficial health effects Rolled oats are traditionally oat Groats that have been rolled into flat flakes under heavy rollers Livestock is the term used to refer (singularly or plurally to a Domesticated Animal intentionally reared in an agricultural setting to produce such as Food Oats make up a large part of the diet of horses and are regularly fed to cattle as well. The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. Cattle, colloquially referred to as cows, are domesticated Ungulates a member of the Subfamily Bovinae of the family Oats are also used in some brands of dog and chicken feed. The chicken ( Gallus gallus, sometimes G gallus domesticus) is a domesticated Fowl which is traditionally believed to have descended from

Contents 1 Origin 2 Cultivation 3 Uses 4 Health 4.1 Soluble fiber 4.2 Protein 4.3 Celiac Disease 5 Agronomy 5.1 Seeding rates 5.2 Fertilizer requirements 5.3 Weed control 5.4 Pests and diseases 5.5 Harvesting 5.6 Storage 5.7 Yield and quality 6 Processing 6.1 Cleaning & sizing 6.2 Dehulling 6.3 Kilning 6.4 Sizing of groats 6.5 Final processing 6.5.1 Flaking 6.5.2 Oat bran milling 6.5.3 Whole flour milling 7 Naming 8 See also 9 References

Origin

The wild ancestor of Avena sativa and the closely-related minor crop, A. byzantina, is the hexaploid wild oat A. sterilis. Genetic evidence shows that the ancestral forms of A. sterilis grow in the Fertile Crescent of the Near East. The Fertile Crescent is a Crescent -shaped region in the Middle East, originally incorporating the Levant and Ancient Mesopotamia, and often Domesticated oats appear relatively late, and far from the Near East, in Bronze Age Europe. B Syria - Belka Woman from Damascus Arab from Baghdadjpg|thumb|Inhabitants of the Near East late nineteenth century The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for Oats, like rye, are usually considered a secondary crop, i. Rye ( Secale cereale) is a grass grown extensively as a grain and forage crop e. derived from a weed of the primary cereal domesticates wheat and barley. As these cereals spread westwards into cooler, wetter areas, this may have favoured the oat weed component, leading to its eventual domestication. ^[1]

Cultivation

Top Oats Producers in 2005
(million metric tons)
Russia	5. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending 1
Canada	3. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page 3
United States	1. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 7
Poland	1. Poland (Polska officially the Republic of Poland 3
Finland	1. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. 2
Australia	1. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. 1
Germany	1. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. 0
Belarus	0. Belarus ( Belarusian Беларусь / Biełaruś is a Landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered by Russia to the north and east 8
China	0. Talk People's Republic of China) PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES 8
Ukraine	0. Ukraine (Україна Ukrayina, /ukrɑˈjinɑ/ is a country in Eastern Europe. 8
World Total	24. 6
Source: UN Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO)[1]

Oats are grown throughout the temperate zones. They have a lower summer heat requirement and greater tolerance of rain than other cereals like wheat, rye or barley, so are particularly important in areas with cool, wet summers such as Northwest Europe, even being grown successfully in Iceland. Rain is Liquid precipitation. On Earth it is the condensation of atmospheric Water vapor into drops heavy enough to fall often making it to Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Rye ( Secale cereale) is a grass grown extensively as a grain and forage crop Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for North-West Europe is a term that refers to a northern area of Western Europe, although the exact area or countries it comprises varies Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( Oats are an annual plant, and can be planted either in autumn (for late summer harvest) or in the spring (for early autumn harvest). Botanically an annual plant is a Plant that usually germinates, Flowers and dies in one Year. Autumn (also known as fall in North American English) is one of the four Temperate Seasons Autumn marks the transition from Summer

Historical attitudes towards oats vary. Oat bread was first manufactured in England, where the first oat bread factory was established in 1899. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland In Scotland they were, and still are, held in high esteem, as a mainstay of the national diet. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. A traditional saying in England is that "oats are only fit to be fed to horses and Scotsmen", to which the Scottish riposte is "and England has the finest horses, and Scotland the finest men". Samuel Johnson notoriously defined oats in his Dictionary as "a grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland supports the people". Samuel Johnson (often referred to as Dr Johnson) (18 September Given the centrality of oats in traditional Scottish cuisine, it is not surprising that in Scotland the word "corn", when otherwise unqualified, refers to oats, just as in England it refers to wheat and in North America and Australia, to maize. Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Oats grown in Scotland command a premium price throughout the United Kingdom as a result of these traditions. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

Uses

Oats have numerous uses in food; most commonly, they are rolled or crushed into oatmeal, or ground into fine oat flour. Rolled oats are traditionally oat Groats that have been rolled into flat flakes under heavy rollers Breakfast cereal health benefits There has been increasing interest in oatmeal in recent years due to its beneficial health effects Flour is a powder made of Cereal grains It is the key ingredient of Bread, which is a staple food in many countries and therefore the availability Oatmeal is chiefly eaten as porridge, but may also be used in a variety of baked goods, such as oatcakes, oatmeal cookies, and oat bread. Porridge, or porage, is a simple dish made by boiling Oats (normally crushed oats occasionally Oatmeal) or another cereal in Water An oatcake is a type of cracker or Pancake, made from Oatmeal, and sometimes Flour as well In the United States and Canada, a cookie is a small flat-baked treat usually round containing milk flour eggs and sugar etc Oats are also an ingredient in many cold cereals, in particular muesli and granola. Muesli is a popular Breakfast cereal based on uncooked Rolled oats, fruit and nuts Granola is a breakfast food and Snack food consisting of Rolled oats, nuts, Honey and sometimes rice which is baked until crispy Oats may also be consumed raw, and cookies with raw oats are becoming popular.

Oats are also occasionally used in Britain for brewing beer. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Brewing is the production of Alcoholic beverage and Alcohol fuel through fermentation. Beer is the world's oldest and most widely consumed Alcoholic beverage and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea Oatmeal stout is one variety brewed using a percentage of oats for the wort. Stout and porter are dark Beers made using roasted Malts or roast Barley. WORT (899 FM is a listener-sponsored community radio station broadcasting from 118 S The more rarely used Oat Malt is produced by the Thomas Fawcett & Sons Maltings and was used in the Maclay Oat Malt Stout before Maclay ceased independent brewing operations.

In Scotland a dish called Sowans was made by soaking the husks from oats for a week so that the fine, floury part of the meal remained as sediment to be strained off, boiled and eaten (Gauldie 1981).

Oats are also commonly used as feed for horses, where it is dehulled and rolled. Rolled oats are traditionally oat Groats that have been rolled into flat flakes under heavy rollers Cattle are also fed oats, either whole, or ground into a coarse flour using a roller mill, burr mill, or hammer mill. A burr mill or burr grinder is a device to grind hard small food products between two revolving abrasive surfaces separated by a distance usually set by the user For the record label see Hammermill Records A hammermill is a machine whose purpose is to shred material into fine particles

Oat straw is prized by cattle and horse producers as bedding, due to its soft, relatively dust-free, and absorbent nature. Straw is an agricultural By-product, the dry stalk of a Cereal plant after the Grain or Seed has been removed The straw can also be used for making corn dollies. Corn dollies are a form of Straw work made for and associated with Harvest customs of Europe before mechanisation

Oat extract can also be used to soothe skin conditions, e. g. skin lotions. ^[2]

Health

Oats are generally considered "healthy", or a health food, being touted commercially as nutritious. The term Health food has been used in the United States since the 1920s to refer to specific foods claimed to be especially beneficial to Health. The discovery of the healthy cholesterol-lowering properties has led to wider appreciation of oats as human food. Cholesterol is a Lipid found in the Cell membranes and transported in the Blood plasma of all Animals It is an essential component of mammalian

Soluble fiber

Oat bran is the outer casing of the oat. Bran is the hard outer layer of Grain and consists of combined Aleurone and Pericarp. Its consumption is believed to lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and possibly to reduce the risk of heart disease. Low-density lipoprotein ( LDL) is a type of Lipoprotein that transports Cholesterol and Triglycerides from the Liver to peripheral Cholesterol is a Lipid found in the Cell membranes and transported in the Blood plasma of all Animals It is an essential component of mammalian Heart disease is an Umbrella term for a variety for different diseases affecting the Heart.

After reports found that oats can help lower cholesterol, an "oat bran craze" swept the U. S. in the late 1980s, peaking in 1989, when potato chips with added oat bran were marketed. Year 1989 ( MCMLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar) A potato chip or crisp is a thin slice of Potato, deep fried or baked until Crisp. The food fad was short-lived and faded by the early 1990s. The popularity of oatmeal and other oat products again increased after the January 1998 decision by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) when it issued its final rule allowing a health claim to be made on the labels of foods containing soluble fiber from whole oats (oat bran, oat flour and rolled oats), noting that 3. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Health claims on food labels are claims by manufacturers of Food products that their food will reduce the risk of developing a Disease or condition 00 grams of soluble fiber daily from these foods, in conjunction with a diet low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and fat may reduce the risk of heart disease. Saturated fat is Fat that consists of Triglycerides containing only saturated Fatty acids Explanation Fat that occurs Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water Heart disease is an Umbrella term for a variety for different diseases affecting the Heart. In order to qualify for the health claim, the whole oat-containing food must provide at least 0. 75 grams of soluble fiber per serving. The soluble fiber in whole oats comprise a class of polysaccharides known as Beta-D-glucan. Polysaccharides are relatively complex Carbohydrates They are Polymers made up of many Monosaccharides joined together by Glycosidic bonds β-Glucans' (or beta- Glucans) are Polysaccharides occurring in the Bran of Cereal grains the cell wall of baker's yeast

Beta-D-glucans, usually referred to as beta-glucans, comprise a class of non-digestible polysaccharides widely found in nature in sources such as grains, barley, yeast, bacteria, algae and mushrooms. Barley ( Hordeum vulgare) is an annual Cereal Grain, which serves as a major animal Feed crop, with smaller amounts used for Yeasts are a growth form of eukaryotic Microorganisms classified in the kingdom Fungi, with about 1500 Species currently described The Bacteria ( singular: bacterium) are a large group of unicellular Microorganisms Typically a few Micrometres in length bacteria have Algae ( sing. alga are a large and diverse group of simple typically Autotrophic organisms ranging from Unicellular to Multicellular forms A mushroom is the fleshy Spore -bearing Fruiting body of a Fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source In oats, barley and other cereal grains, they are located primarily in the endosperm cell wall. Endosperm is the tissue produced in the Seeds of most Flowering plants around the time of fertilization A cell wall is a tough flexible and sometimes fairly rigid layer surrounding a cell, located external to the Cell membrane, which provides the cell with structural

Oat beta-glucan is a soluble fiber. It is a viscous polysaccharide made up of units of the sugar D-glucose. Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. Glucose (Glc a Monosaccharide (or simple Sugar) also known as grape sugar, is an important Carbohydrate in Biology. Oat beta-glucan is comprised of mixed-linkage polysaccharides. This means that the bonds between the D-glucose or D-glucopyranosyl units are either beta-1, 3 linkages or beta-1, 4 linkages. A chemical bond is the physical process responsible for the attractive interactions between Atoms and Molecules and which confers stability to diatomic and polyatomic This type of beta-glucan is also referred to as a mixed-linkage (1→3), (1→4)-beta-D-glucan. The (1→3)-linkages break up the uniform structure of the beta-D-glucan molecule and make it soluble and flexible. In comparison, the non-digestible polysaccharide cellulose is also a beta-glucan but is non-soluble. Cellulose is an Organic compound with the formula, a Polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β(1→4 The reason that it is non-soluble is that cellulose consists only of (1→4)-beta-D-linkages. The percentages of beta-glucan in the various whole oat products are: oat bran, greater than 5. 5% and up to 23. 0%; rolled oats, about 4%; whole oat flour about 4%.

Oats after corn (maize) has the highest lipid content of any cereal, e. Maize (ˈmeɪz ( Zea mays L. ssp mays) known as corn in some countries is a cereal grain domesticated in Mesoamerica Lipids are broadly defined as any fat- Soluble ( lipophilic) naturally-occurring Molecule, such as fats oils waxes cholesterol sterols fat-soluble g. , greater than 10 percent for oats and as high as 17 percent for some maize cultivars compared to about 2–3 percent for wheat and most other cereals. The polar lipid content of oats (about 8–17% glycolipid and 10–20% phospholipid or a total of about 33% ) is greater than that of other cereals since much of the lipid fraction is contained within the endosperm. Lipids are broadly defined as any fat- Soluble ( lipophilic) naturally-occurring Molecule, such as fats oils waxes cholesterol sterols fat-soluble

Protein

Oats Nutritional value per 100 g (3. 5 oz)
Energy 390 kcal   1630 kJ
Carbohydrates     66 g - Dietary fiber  11 g   Fat 7 g Protein 17 g Pantothenic acid (B5)  1. Carbohydrates (from ' Hydrates of Carbon ' or saccharides ( Greek σάκχαρον meaning " Sugar " are the most Dietary fibers are the indigestible portion of plant foods that move food through the Digestive system, absorbing water and easing Defecation. Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and largely insoluble in water Proteins are large Organic compounds made of Amino acids arranged in a linear chain and joined together by Peptide bonds between the Carboxyl Pantothenic acid, also called Vitamin B5 (a B vitamin) is a water- Soluble vitamin required to sustain life ( 3 mg  26% Folate (Vit. Folic acid (also known as Vitamin M and Folacin) and Folate (the Anionic form are forms of the water-soluble Vitamin B9 B9)  56 μg  14% Iron  5 mg 40% Magnesium  177 mg 48%  β-glucan (soluble fiber)  4 g
Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Iron (ˈаɪɚn is a Chemical element with the symbol Fe (ferrum and Atomic number 26 Magnesium is an essential element in biological systems. Magnesium occurs typically as the Mg2+ ion Reference Daily Intake (or Recommended Daily Intake ( RDI) is the daily dietary intake level of a nutrient which was considered (at the time they were defined to be sufficient Source: USDA Nutrient database

Oat is the only cereal containing a globulin or legume-like protein, avenalin, as the major (80%) storage protein. Globulin is one of the two types of serum Proteins the other being albumin. A legume is a Plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae or a Fruit of these specific plants Globulins are characterized by water solubility; because of this property, oats may be turned into milk but not into bread. The more typical cereal proteins such as gluten and zein are prolamines (prolamins). Gluten is a composite of the proteins Gliadin and Glutenin. These exist conjoined with Starch, in the Endosperms of some Zein is a class of Prolamine Protein found in Maize. It is usually manufactured as a powder from Corn gluten meal. Prolamins are a group of plant storage proteins having a high Proline content and found in the seeds of cereal grains Wheat ( Gliadin) Barley The minor protein of oat is a prolamine: avenin.

Oat protein is nearly equivalent in quality to soy protein, which has been shown by the World Health Organization to be equal to meat, milk, and egg protein. Soy protein is generally regarded as the storage Protein held in discrete particles called protein bodies which are estimated to contain at least 60–70% of the total soybean The protein content of the hull-less oat kernel (groat) ranges from 12–24%, the highest among cereals. ^[3]

Celiac Disease

Coeliac disease, or celiac disease, from Greek "koiliakos", meaning "suffering in the bowels", is a disease often associated with ingestion of wheat, or more specifically a group of proteins labelled prolamines, or more commonly, gluten. Coeliac Wheat ( Triticum spp is a worldwide cultivated grass from the Levant area of the Middle East. Gluten is a composite of the proteins Gliadin and Glutenin. These exist conjoined with Starch, in the Endosperms of some

Oats lack many of the prolamines found in wheat; however, oats do contain avenin. ^[4] Avenin is a prolamine that is toxic to the intestinal submucosa and can trigger a reaction in some celiacs. ^[5]

Although oats do contain avenin, there are several studies suggesting that oats can be a part of a gluten free diet if it is pure. The first such study was published in 1995. ^[6] A follow-up study indicated that it is safe to use oats even in a longer period. ^[7]

Additionally, oats are frequently processed near wheat, barley and other grains such that they become contaminated with other glutens. Because of this, the FAO's Codex Alimentarius Commission officially lists them as a crop containing gluten. The Codex Alimentarius (Latin for "food code" or "food book" is a collection of internationally recognized standards codes of practice guidelines and other recommendations Oats from Ireland and Scotland, where less wheat is grown, are less likely to be contaminated in this way. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain.

Oats are part of a gluten free diet in, for example, Finland and Sweden. In both of these countries there are "pure oat" products on the market.

Agronomy

Oats are sown in the spring or early summer, as soon as the soil can be worked. An early start is crucial to good yields as oats will go dormant during the summer heat. Oats are cold-tolerant and will be unaffected by late frosts or snow.

Seeding rates

Typically about 125 to 175 kg/hectare (between 2. 75 and 3. 25 bushels per acre) are sown, either broadcast, drilled, or planted using an airseeder. A seed drill is a device for planting Seeds in the soil Before the introduction of the seed drill the common practice was to "broadcast" seeds by hand Lower rates are used when underseeding with a legume. A legume is a Plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae or a Fruit of these specific plants Somewhat higher rates can be used on the best soils, or where there are problems with weeds. Excessive sowing rates will lead to problems with lodging and may reduce yields.

Winter oats may be grown as an off-season groundcover and plowed under in the spring as a green fertilizer. Groundcover is a Plant used for the purpose of growing over an area of ground to hide it or to protect it from erosion or drought In Agriculture, a green manure is a type of Cover crop grown primarily to add Nutrients and Organic matter to the Soil.

Fertilizer requirements

Oats remove substantial amounts of nitrogen from the soil. Nitrogen (ˈnaɪtɹəʤɪn is a Chemical element that has the symbol N and Atomic number 7 and Atomic weight 14 They also remove phosphorus in the form of P₂O₅ at the rate of 0. 25 pound per bushel per acre (1 bushel = 38 pounds at 12% moisture); Phosphate is thus applied at a rate of 30 to 40 kg/ha, or 30 to 40 lb/ac. Oats remove potash (K₂O) at a rate of 0. 19 pound per bushel per acre, which causes it to use 15–30 kg/ha, or 13–27 lb/ac. Usually 50–100 kg/ha (45–90 pounds per acre) of nitrogen in the form of urea or anhydrous ammonia is sufficient, as oats uses about 1 pound per bushel per acre. Urea is an Organic compound with the Chemical formula ( N[[hydrogen H]]22 C[[oxygen O]] Ammonia is a compound with the formula N[[hydrogen H3]] It is normally encountered as a Gas with a characteristic pungent Odor A sufficient amount of nitrogen is particularly important for plant height and hence straw quality and yield. When the prior-year crop was a legume, or where ample manure is applied, nitrogen rates can be reduced somewhat.

Weed control

The vigorous growth habit of oats will tend to choke out most weeds. A few tall broadleaf weeds, such as ragweed, goosegrass, wild mustard and buttonweed (velvetleaf), can occasionally be a problem as they complicate harvest and reduce yields. The flowering plants or angiosperms ( Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta) are the most widespread group Ragweeds ( Ambrosia) also called bitterweeds and bloodweeds, are a Genus of flowering Plants from the sunflower Galium aparine is a herbaceous Annual plant of the family Rubiaceae. For the prepared condiment see Mustard (condiment. For other uses of the term "mustard" see Mustard. Buttonweed ( Diodia) is a genus of Flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae native to temperate and tropical regions of North America and Africa These can be controlled with a modest application of a broadleaf herbicide such as 2,4-D while the weeds are still small. 24-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (24-D is a common systemic Herbicide used in the control of broadleaf weeds

Pests and diseases

Oats are relatively free from diseases and pests, with the exception being leaf diseases, such as leaf rust and stem rust. The stem, black or cereal rusts are caused by the Fungus Puccinia graminis and are a significant disease affecting cereal crops A few Lepidoptera caterpillars feed on the plants—e. Lepidoptera is an order of Insect that includes Moths and butterflies. Caterpillars are the Larval form of a member of the order Lepidoptera (the Insect order comprising butterflies and Moths g. Rustic Shoulder-knot and Setaceous Hebrew Character—but these rarely become a major pest. The Rustic Shoulder-knot ( Apamea sordens) is a Moth of the family Noctuidae. The Setaceous Hebrew Character ( Xestia c-nigrum) is a Moth of the family Noctuidae. See also List of oats diseases. This article is a list of diseases of Oats ( Avena sativa) Bacterial diseases Fungal diseases Helminthosporium

Harvesting

Modern harvest technique is a matter of available equipment, local tradition, and priorities. Best yields are attained by swathing, cutting the plants at about 10 cm (4 inches) above ground and putting them into windrows with the grain all oriented the same way, when the kernels have reached 35% moisture, or when the greenest kernels are just turning cream-color. A swather is a Farm implement that cuts Hay or small grain crops and forms them into a Windrow. The windrows are left to dry in the sun for several days before being combined using a pickup header. Then the straw is baled.

Oats can also be left standing until completely ripe and then combined with a grain head. The combine harvester, or simply combine, also known as a thresher is a machine that combines the This will lead to greater field losses as the grain falls from the heads and to harvesting losses as the grain is threshed out by the reel. Without a draper head, there will also be somewhat more damage to the straw since it will not be properly oriented as it enters the throat of the combine. The combine harvester, or simply combine, also known as a thresher is a machine that combines the Overall yield loss is 10–15% compared to proper swathing.

Historical harvest methods involved cutting with a scythe or sickle, and threshing under the feet of cattle. Late 19th and early 20th century harvesting was performed using a binder. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The reaper-binder, or binder, was a farm implement that improved upon the Reaper. Oats were gathered into shocks and then collected and run through a stationary threshing machine. The thrashing machine, or in modern spelling threshing machine (or simply thresher) was a Machine first invented by Scottish Mechanical

Storage

After it is combined, the oats are transported to the farm-yard using a grain truck, semi, or road train, where it is augered or conveyed into a bin for storage. A road train or roadtrain is a Trucking concept used in remote areas of Australia, the United States, and Western Canada to move An auger is a device for moving material or liquid (see Archimedes' screw) by means of a rotating Helical flighting A belt conveyor consists of two or more Pulleys with a continuous loop of material - the conveyor belt - that rotates about them A silo is a structure for storing bulk materials. Silos are used in Agriculture to store grain (see Grain elevators or fermented feed Sometimes, when there is not enough bin-space, it is augered into portable grain rings, or piled on the ground. Oats can be safely stored at 12% moisture; at higher moisture levels, it must be aereated, or dried.

Yield and quality

In the United States, No. 1 oats weighs 42 lb per bushel; No. 3 oats must weigh at least 38 lb/bu. If it weighs over 36 lb/bu, it is a No. 4, and anything under 36 lb/bu is graded as "light weight".

Note, however, that oats are bought and sold, and yields are figured, on the basis of a bushel equal to 32 lb in the United States. A Canadian bushel of oats, however, is 34 lb. Yields range from 60 to 80 bushels on marginal land, to 100 to 150 bushels per acre on high-producing land. The average production is 100 bushels per acre, or 3½ tonnes per hectare.

Straw yields are variable, ranging from one to three tonnes per hectare, mainly due to available nutrients, and the variety used (some are short-strawed, meant specifically for straight-combining).

Processing

Oats processing is a relatively simple process:

Cleaning & sizing

Upon delivery to the milling plant, chaff, rocks, other grains, and other foreign material are removed from the oats.

Dehulling

Separation of the outer hull from the inner oat groat is effected by means of centrifugal acceleration. Oats are fed by gravity onto the center of a horizontally spinning stone, which accelerates them towards an outer ring. Groat and hull are separated on impact with this ring. The lighter oat hulls are then aspirated away while the denser oat groats are taken to the next step of processing. Oat hulls can be used as feed, processed further into insoluble oat fiber, or used as a biomass fuel.

Kilning

The unsized oat groats will then pass through a heat and moisture treatment to balance moisture, but mainly to stabilize the groat. Oat groats are high in fat (lipids) and once exposed from their protective hull, enzymatic (lipase) activity begins to break down the fat into free fatty acids, ultimately causing an off flavor or rancidity. Rancidification is the decomposition of Fats Oils and other Lipids by Hydrolysis or Oxidation, or both Oats will begin to show signs of enzymatic rancidity within 4 days of being dehulled and not stabilized. This process is primarily done in food grade plants, not in feed grade plants. An oat groat is not considered a raw oat groat if it has gone through this process: the heat has disrupted the germ, and the oat groat will not sprout.

Sizing of groats

Many whole oat groats are broken during the dehulling process, leaving the following types of groats to be sized and separated for further processing: Whole Oat Groats, Coarse Steel Cut Groats, Steel Cut Groats and Fine Steel Cut Groats. Groats are sized and separated using screens, shakers and indent screens. After the whole oat groats are separated, the remaining broken groats get sized again into the 3 groups (Coarse, Regular, Fine) and then stored. The term steel cut is referred to all sized or cut groats. When there are not enough broken to size for further processing, then whole oat groats get sent to a cutting unit with steel blades that will evenly cut the groats into the three sizes as discussed earlier.

Final processing

Three methods are used to make the finished product:

Flaking

This process uses two large smooth or corrugated rolls spinning at the same speed in opposite directions at a controlled distance. Oat flakes, also known as Rolled Oats, have many different sizes, thicknesses and other characteristics depending on the size of oat groat passed between the rolls. Typically the three sizes of steel cut oats are used to make Instant, Baby and Quick rolled oats, whereas whole oat groats are used to make Regular, Medium and Thick Rolled Oats. Rolled oats are traditionally oat Groats that have been rolled into flat flakes under heavy rollers Oat flakes range from a thickness of 0. 014" to 0. 040".

Oat bran milling

This process takes the oat groats through several roll stands that flatten and separate the bran from the flour (endosperm). The two separate products (flour and bran) get sifted through a gyrating sifter screen to further separate them. The final products are oat bran and debranned oat flour.

Whole flour milling

This process takes oat groats straight to a grinding unit (stone or hammer mill) and then over sifter screens to separate the coarse flour and final whole oat flour. The coarser flour gets sent back to the grinding unit until it's ground fine enough to be whole oat flour. Used very much in India.

Naming

In Scottish English oats may be referred to as corn. Scottish English is the variety of English spoken in Scotland, also called Scottish Standard English. ^[8]

See also

• Oat milk
• Oatcake
• Quaker Oats Company
• Steel-cut oats
• Rolled oats
• Oatmeal
• Export Hay

References

• Gauldie, Enid (1981). The Scottish Miller 1700 - 1900. Pub. John Donald. ISBN 0-85976-067-7.

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