The oat crop is the sixth most important cereal crop in the world and the third most important temperate cereal (only wheat and barley being more important in temperate latitudes). Because of health issues, including the link between oats and blood cholesterol reduction, and the increasing importance of low-input agriculture, there is a greatly increasing interest in the wider potential for this crop. The editor of this book, Dr Rob Welch, has drawn together a list of international contributors, each respected for their work with oats. The book contains 17 chapters including coverage of the history of the crop, production and trade, botany and breeding, agronomy, harvesting and processing, and food uses of oats. This book should be of interest to agricultural scientists, growers, plant breeders, food scientists, nutritionists and animal feed specialists.