The Effects of Simulated Hail Injury on Oats

Because most existing research on hail damage involves small grains like wheat or barley, it is often difficult for farmers, insurance adjusters, or researchers to accurately determine a loss estimate for a field of oats. This publication explores hail damage from a few foundational statements. (1) Different oat varieties will respond in the same way to the same damage. (2) Losses will be the same at different locations for injuries of the same intensity if similar growing conditions exist. (3) The test weight of grain from plump-kernelled varieties will not drop as much as the loss in plumpness would seem to indicate. (4) Head droppage is not predictable. (5) Higher yielding oats have a higher percentage yield loss. (6) The amount of natural blast in each variety depends upon the environmental conditions of that year, so no standard count for natural blast can be given. There is no completely reliable way to differentiate natural blast from that caused by injury, although location of the blast in the panicle helps somewhat