Mjcms. Tavares et al., ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION IN THE GENUS AVENA - IMPLICATIONS IN THE PLANT-BREEDING, Pesquisa agropecuaria brasileira, 28(4), 1993, pp. 499-507
Oat originated in Asia Minor or North Africa. It developed as a second
-degree culture at North and West Europe, as an invader plant in seaso
n main cultures as wheat and barley. The Avena species have three degr
ees of ploidia: diploids (2n = 2x = 14), tetraploids (2n = 4x = 28) an
d hexaploids (2n = 6x = 42), all having regular meiosis. Inside each d
egree of ploidia there are cultivated forms which survive only under h
uman care. Phylogenetic relations between Avena species are not comple
tely stablished. Autopolyploidy, segmental alopolyploidy, as well as s
tructural changes in chromosomes seem to have had relevant contributio
n in the evolution of this genus. This review presents a synopsis of t
he present knowledge about relations between the different species of
Avena.