The Nordic Oat Taskforce (NOaT): Next-Generation Genetic Resources for Oat Breeding
KEY POINTS- Establishing a core genetic resource to address the Nordic oat breeding gap.
- Standardizing key datasets and methods for community-driven research.
- Positioning a scientific network to enable future funded collaborations.
Project overview
Participants
More related research
Short summary
NOaT is a strategic initiative advancing ‘The New Genetics of Oat Resilience’. We create the foundational genetic resources and collaborative framework essential for developing climate-adapted oat varieties for the Nordic region.
Synopsis
Nordic agriculture operates under a unique and demanding set of conditions, including short growing seasons and increasing climate volatility, which renders many mainstream breeding solutions ineffective. Oat, a cornerstone of the region's agriculture, faces a critical disadvantage: it lacks the advanced genomic and phenomic resources available for other major cereals like wheat and barley. This resource gap severely limits progress. To overcome this, a radical shift is required—moving beyond incremental improvements to develop entirely new genetic frameworks and precision tools. NOaT is designed to pioneer this transformation, using oat as a model to create a blueprint for enhancing the resilience of all cereal crops in the region.
Initiative Overview
NOaT is a focused, ad-hoc initiative convening key European partners to lay the groundwork for the next generation of oat breeding. Our mission is to create the foundational genetic resources and strategic frameworks necessary to launch future large-scale, funded research collaborations tailored for Nordic agroecosystems.
Core Activities
NOaT's strategy centers on preparing "Better Tools" and "New Genetics" to address agricultural "Big Challenges". Our core activities involve:
- Assembling Advanced Genetic Resources: We have established a core collection of 300 diverse oat genotypes. This panel is being characterized using a strategic dual genotyping approach, employing both an 8K SNP chip and a 500K GBS (Genotyping-by-Sequencing) SNP panel for high-resolution genetic analysis.
- Applying High-Precision Phenotyping: We utilize advanced methodologies, including micro-phenomics, to capture complex traits with high precision. This data will enable the future development of sophisticated phenomic and genomic prediction models.
- Focusing on Target Traits: Our work targets the most pressing challenges for Nordic agriculture, including immunity, productivity, and sustainability. We focus on the genetic basis of key adaptive traits such as plasticity and environmental adaptation.
Strategic Objectives
- Establish a Foundational Resource: To build and share a standardized, high-quality genetic and phenotypic dataset specifically relevant to the Nordic oat research and breeding community.
- Catalyze Predictive Tool Development: To lay the groundwork for future research by creating the core datasets and proof-of-concept models necessary for partners to develop and secure funding for predictive breeding tools.
- Foster a Collaborative Hub: To serve as a platform for expertise, know-how, and visibility, strengthening the strategic positioning of Nordic oat breeding and enabling the formation of future research consortia.
Partners & Network
NOaT brings together a wide network of expertise from leading academic and research institutions across Europe:
- Finland: LUKE , BOREAL
- Germany: IPK
- Ireland: UCD , TEAG ASC
- Italy: CREA
- Norway: NMBO
- Sweden: SLU , Lantmännen
- Switzerland: Agroscope , UZH
- Wales: Aberystwyth University