Lodging Resistance in Oat (Avena sativa): Integrating Agronomy, Phenomics, and Genomics-Assisted Breeding

Abstract

Lodging limits oat yield, forage value, silage quality, and mechanized harvesting, but resistance cannot be explained by plant height alone. This structured narrative review synthesizes literature available through 1 June 2026 using a tiered evidence framework. After duplicate removal, the review included 119 unique references in total. These comprised 12 Level I studies with direct oat evidence, 30 Level II oat-focused studies requiring further validation, and 77 Level III comparative sources. Overall, 42 sources (35.3%) focused on oat or Avena. The strongest direct evidence supports roles for basal-internode geometry and mechanics, cell-wall composition, canopy architecture, planting density, nitrogen management, and genotype-specific responses to plant growth regulators. However, the direction and magnitude of these effects depend strongly on genotype × management × environment interactions. Evidence for root lodging remains limited because root traits are rarely examined together with direct anchorage measurements and soil mechanical properties. Image-based phenotyping also lacks independently validated, multi-environment oat datasets for model development. Genome-wide association studies and multi-omics analyses have identified candidate loci, genes, and pathways, but independent, homoeolog-aware validation is still needed. We recommend standardized reporting of lodging type, field severity, basal-internode mechanics, root–soil conditions, and imaging protocols. We also propose resource-matched deployment and staged priorities, from phenotyping harmonization to multi-environment validation and causal analysis of belowground mechanisms.