Agronomy and Plant Genetics 1888-2000 - Department of Agronomy ...

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ed backgrounds to improve the protein content of commercial varieties.
H.C. Murphy screened the A. sterilis collection from Israel and found that
some accessions had considerably elevated protein levels.
The interspecific hybrid approach was abandoned after a decade
because the transfer proved to be difficult, if not impossible, and because
there was no premium for high protein. Several other successful varieties,
including Starter, with ordinary protein levels but containing A. sterilis in
their pedigree, may have performed well because of the added genetic
diversity.
High-protein varieties, such as Dal from Wisconsin and Proat from
Minnesota, were obtained from crosses involving only A. sativa types.
Proat was grown by some livestock producers attracted to its high protein
level.
During the time of intense effort to increase oat protein content the
USDA established an oat quality laboratory in conjunction with its barley
quality laboratory at Madison, Wisconsin. All U.S. oat-breeding programs
working on protein content sent samples to the Madison laboratory for
protein analysis.
Matt Moore’s long and brilliant career came to a formal close with his
retirement in 1973. His efforts especially on crown rust resistance, his first
love, did not cease, however. He continued to spend countless hours in his
buckthorn nursery observing the crown rust reactions of test materials
Deon Stuthman (left), Edyardo Licon and Matt Moore examining rustinfected
oat field near Chapingo, Mexico, in 1981.