Beta-glucan is a hypocholesterolemic water-soluble fiber component of
oat (Avena sativa L.) grain. Despite beneficial physiological effects
associated with beta-glucan, few data are available on the effects of
environment on beta-glucan content. The objective of this study was to
examine the effect of N fertilizer, location, and year on oat grain b
eta-glucan concentration. Plantings were made at East Lansing and Caro
, MI, in 1987, 1988, and 1989. The experimental design was a split plo
t with three replications. Whole plots consisted of each of three N le
vels (0, 37, and 74 kg ha-1), and subplots consisted of five oat culti
vars (Heritage, Korwood, Ogle, Pacer, and Porter). Increased levels of
applied N tended to increase groat beta-glucan content. No significan
t differences in mean beta-glucan concentration were found between loc
ations or among cultivars used in the study. Beta-glucan concentration
was affected by year, with lowest mean values in 1988, intermediate c
oncentrations in 1987, and highest values in 1989. Cultivar x year and
cultivar x location interactions were significant. Correlations betwe
en beta-glucan content and test weight, hull percentage, grain yield,
or groat weight were mostly small or nonsignificant. Correlations betw
een groat protein and groat 5-glucan were significant, relatively larg
e and positive in 1987 and 1989, but were nonsignificant in 1988. The
results of this research indicate that environment, especially soil N
and year-to-year climatic variability, is important in determining oat
grain beta-glucan concentration.