Spring oats of the Borrus variety are a yellow-grained awnless variety bred in Germany through complex hybridization involving the Phonix and Peragold varieties, followed by individual selection. The plant is characterized by medium straw height, strength, and resistance to lodging. The leaves are upright, dark green, and the head is semi-closed and productive, measuring 17-18 cm in length. The ears are predominantly two-flowered; the grain is of the thick-grained type, medium size, with a 1000-seed weight ranging from 28 to 38 grams. The variety belongs to the medium-early maturity group, possesses enhanced drought tolerance and plasticity, responds well to high agronomic management and irrigation. Protein content in the grain varies from 13% to 19%, lysine from 2.6% to 4.2%, and fat is about 4.5%.
The Borrus variety was included in the State Register of Breeding Achievements in 1982 and recommended for cultivation in the Northwestern climatic region of Russia, including such regions as Leningrad, Vologda, Kaliningrad, Kostroma, Novgorod, Pskov, Tver, Yaroslavl, as well as Saint Petersburg. It combines traits of Western European and Scandinavian ecological groups, ensuring its adaptability and high yield, reaching up to 7 tons per hectare on variety trial plots in the Leningrad region.
In addition to use in grain production, Borrus oats are effectively used as cover crops. They enrich the soil with potassium, nitrogen, and humus, suppress weed growth, and improve soil structure through loosening. They are sown in spring or autumn at a rate of 1.5 kg per 100 square meters, with seeds planted 2-3 cm deep. After cultivation, oats can be incorporated into the soil to increase fertility, used for compost preparation, liquid fertilizers, and mulching. Oat sprouts contain chlorophyll, structurally similar to hemoglobin, which contributes to improved heart, lung, stomach, and intestinal function, boosts immunity, and helps with respiratory and digestive system diseases.
