The cultivation of oat in China could be traced back to 2500 B.C. while the Qinghai province, which located in the North-East of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, has been the major region for oat production due to its high quality caused by the unique climate say long sun-shine hours and large temperature discrepancy between days and nights that is beneficial to the accumulation of nutrients in oat plant. Oat has been grown in the Qinghai alpine region on the altitude ranging from 1600m to 3600m and regarded as an ideal forage plant due to its resistance to environment. The role of oat drew more attention in 1980s along with the implementing of so called four-matched policy, which compounds establishment of fenced rangeland, animal bars, fodder production base and settled living place for local herdsmen who used to be nomadic around the region. To make a full use of the oat resource in Qinghai province, a great deal research and extension with respect of oat had been engaged in the region. The author overviewed researches accomplished in Qinghai province on oat germplasm collection, breeding of fine oat variety, cultivate techniques, oat base establishment and production and marketing system establishment as well in terms of projects completed.

• Yajun Ji
• Qingping Zhou
• Hongbo Yan
• Wenhui Liu