The North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station announces the release of Souris spring oats, according to Al Schneiter, North Dakota State University Department of Plant Sciences chair.

Souris is a white-hulled variety that has a pedigree similar to HiFi, a variety released by NDSU in 2001, according to Mike McMullen, the leader of the NDSU oat breeding program. Souris consistently has produced high yields and test weights during five years of testing at several sites in North Dakota. It consistently has been among the highest yielding lines evaluated in these trials and is expected to replace Morton, also a 2001 NDSU release and one of the state's most popular varieties.

Souris typically has a greater groat percentage than HiFi or Morton. Souris matures slightly earlier and is about 4 to 6 inches shorter than HiFi and Morton, respectively. The straw strength of Souris is similar to Morton and stronger than HiFi.
The groat oil and beta-glucan content of Souris is less than HiFi but greater than in Morton.

Souris has a new, excellent source of resistance to prevalent races of crown rust. This resistance was derived from a different species of oats. This new source of crown rust resistance is important because the other sources of crown rust resistance in all other current varieties appear to be breaking down as the races of rust change.

The value of oat varieties are difficult to determine because some is cut for hay, fed as grain to livestock or sold for human and animal consumption. If Souris were to replace half of the acreage in Morton at current prices, it would generate approximately an additional $1 million in annual sales for North Dakota oat producers. Since oats grown for hay and personal farm livestock use are not included, the total value will be greater than this amount.

Souris should provide North Dakota and regional oats producers with a disease-resistant, high-yielding, white-hulled cultivar with test weights consistently high enough for the premium oats markets, as well as for other uses. Souris will grow well under high moisture and fertility conditions. During several years of evaluation in North Dakota, Souris produced yields 8 percent and
2.3 percent greater than Morton and HiFi, respectively.

Souris is named after the community of Souris, which is located in Bottineau County. The seed increase will take place at NDSU Research Extension Centers and can be viewed at REC field days this summer.