INTRODUCTION
The 2008 UEOPN was grown at 10 locations in 8 states.  The nursery average yield was 97.2 bu/A, about 1.5 bu/A lower than the previous year and over 30 bu/A  lower than 2005 and 2004 harvests.  The highest yield was recorded at West Lafayette, Indiana, with an average yield of 129.7 bu/A.  Following closely was Beresford, South Dakota, with 128.0 bu/A.  The lowest overall yields were recorded at Waseca, Minnesota (48.8 bu/A), which had heavy crown rust infection, and Urbana, Illinois (66.0 bu/A), which had severe BYDV incidence.  If these two locations with special problems are omitted, the overall nursery average increases to 108.6 bu/A and entries with different levels of resistance to these two pathogens are changed in their relative yield rankings (Table 5A).
The Illinois entry IL02-8658 was the highest yielding entry over all locations as it also was in the 2007 UEOPN.  This entry was also highest in groat yield, based on the 8 locations that submitted grain samples (Appendix B).
Coefficient of Variation (CV) and Least Significant Difference (LSD) values for yield are provided for each location in Table 5 "Average yield (bu/A), yield, and rank at stations reporting the 2007 UEOPN."  These values were either supplied by the cooperator, or the individual plot data were submitted and the values computed.  This information, plus the listing of "Plot Data" and "Comments on Growing Conditions" at individual locations should help in interpreting the results.
The groat percentages were determined by dehulling a 50-gram sample with a Codema oat dehuller.  The protein and oil samples were run on the Infratec 1255 Food and Feed Analyzer (whole seeds using near-infrared transmittance).  A standard regression for protein was made using a sub-set of samples, which was run on the Leco FP-428 nitrogen combustion apparatus.  The oil regression was based on NMR analyses.  Beta-glucan values were determined by chemical analysis using fluorescence spectrometry.
A  list of recently released cultivars including state or program of origin, assigned name, experimental line number in testing, nurseries tested in and pedigree can be found in Appendix C.  This list, in addition to being included in the annual reports, is to be maintained on the GrainGenes website:  http://wheat.pw.usda.gov/GG2/Avena/Oat_releases.html
We wish to thank Mitchell Wise and Laurie Herrin, USDA Cereal Crops Research Unit, Madison, WI, for analyses of groat protein, beta-glucan, and oil percentages.
This and past years' reports are available at:
http://wheat.pw.usda.gov/GG2/Avena/UE-MOPN.html.