An international research team led by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has mapped the complete genetic diversity of oats, decoding the pan-genome of 33 lines. The achievement offers new tools to breed oat varieties that are more productive, resilient, and climate-adapted.

An international consortium involving TUM, Helmholtz Munich, and the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) has sequenced and analyzed 33 oat lines, revealing the crop’s extensive genetic diversity. The results, published in Nature, establish a foundation for breeding oats that can better withstand climate pressures such as drought and rising temperatures.

Nadia Kamal

The study included modern varieties, traditional landraces, and wild relatives. According to Professor Nadia Kamal, head of Computational Plant Biology at TUM and co-first author of the study, “Our results lay a foundation that will help us identify which genes are important for yield, climate adaptation, and plant health.”

The researchers also created a “pan-transcriptome” — a directory of gene activity across oat tissues — which highlights how different lines express genes according to their geographical origins. “The combination of the pan-genome and pan-transcriptome opens up new possibilities for breeding oat lines that are both high-yielding and adapted to different climatic conditions,” added Manuel Spannagl from Helmholtz Munich.

Manuel Spannagl

Although oats occupy a smaller share of global grain production than wheat, rice, or corn, the researchers stress their importance as a climate-resilient crop. A more diverse grain portfolio, they note, strengthens both food and feed security in a changing climate.