Effective agronomy increases oat yields and margins

Growing oats can be very rewarding, particularly as the market for this healthy grain is so buoyant and yields of 8 tonnes/hectare plus can be achieved with the right agronomy and advice, according to independent agronomist, Antony Wade of Hillhampton Technical Services.

"Oats have really taken off as a crop, as there is an ever increasing demand for healthier breakfast cereals and snack bars. As just one example, one of the biggest growth areas in the food sector is instant porridge oats, now a market worth several million pounds. From the growers' perspective, higher yields from low inputs and good pricing mean a much more profitable crop to grow. I am a real oat enthusiast, working on oat research projects in my past role in ADAS and now in my new role as an independent consultant to farmers in Herefordshire, Shropshire and the Welsh Borders and developing the most cost-effective agronomy for this crop," says Antony Wade.

"The larger proportion of the oat crop is made up of husked varieties, which go for milling into the cereal and snack food markets, with the minority being naked oat varieties destined for the poultry sector. With appropriate advice, we are able to achieve yields of 8-9 t/ha with conventional varieties and with a price of around £90/tonne and low input costs, oats are certainly stacking up in terms of gross margin. They are not just a low-cost break crop any more but a profitable cereal crop in their own right," points out Antony.

According to Hillhampton Technical Services, key winter oat varieties are Gerald and SW Dalguise. "There is not a lot of difference between the varieties, but some are very susceptible to mildew and others are more prone to lodging. SW Dalguise, the top yielding variety in this year's HGCA List, has just a 3 resistance rating to mildew. Gerald, the top variety in terms of area grown, Ayr and Grafton have just a 4 rating against this disease. Even the new variety Brochan has a 5. All varieties are susceptible to mildew, so disease control must be carefully planned."

"Mildew tends to be an early disease in oats and can be a problem in susceptible varieties, in thick lush crops and following a mild winter. In certain circumstances an early mildewicide such as Fortress (quinoxyfen) at Growth Stage 30 around mid-March to early April can be helpful to hold mildew at bay and stop it spreading."

The main fungicide treatment in winter oats is usually applied at Growth Stage 32, around mid to late April, together with a plant Growth Regulator. Quinoxyfen and a low-cost triazole such as cyproconazole will control the two target diseases, mildew and crown rust. Sometimes a low cost strobilurin such as Amistar (azoxystrobin) is necessary at flag leaf, as crown rust is a late season disease. Winter oats tend to suffer from lodging problems although plant breeding has improved varietal resistance to lodging, but growth regulation is still an important part of the agronomy programme for husked varieties, advises Antony.

"Quinoxyfen, as in Fortress, gives very good, reliable early season control of mildew. It gives particularly persistent control, resulting in long-lasting effects on this disease. It is also very cost-effective compared with other mildewicides. Most growers grow oats as a low cost break crop and so are expecting low cost inputs. In addition it has a good environmental profile, being recommended in Conservation grade oat production," says Mr. Wade.

"Fortress is a popular fungicide in both winter and spring oats, which can suffer from mildew year on year. It can be used on oats at dose rates of between 0.15 -0.3 l/ha depending on the varietal susceptibility and length of persistence required. It has all the key attributes for use in this crop – effective on mildew, easily tank-mixed and very cost-effective," points out Liz Tomkinson, Fungicide Specialist for Dow AgroSciences.

"With the rapid expansion of oats in the UK, there are many new growers as well as traditional growers looking to produce high yielding, high quality crops for the growing market outlets. The DEFRA census shows that the area of oats rose from 90,000 hectares at Harvest 2005 to 121,000 hectares at Harvest 2006. The December Census 2006 shows another significant hike upwards for this crop, with 6% more oats in Scotland and 25% more in England," outlines Liz.

Fortress contains 500 g/litre quinoxyfen, formulated as a suspension concentrate. It is a systemic protectant fungicide giving protection against powdery mildew on new plant growth. It is recommended on all varieties of winter and spring oats, wheat, barley, rye, triticale, durum wheat and sugar beet. In cereals the average dose rate is between 0.1-0.2 l/ha. Dose rates are flexible according to the variety and length of persistence. Fortress should be applied in the spring at first signs of disease up until Growth Stage 49. It is rainfast in one hour and is packed in a 1 litre container.

For further information, please contact

1) Liz Tomkinson, Dow AgroSciences on 07808 904368 (mobile).

2) Antony Wade, Hillhampton Technical Services, Hillhampton Farm, Shobdon, Leominster, Herefordshire, HR6 9NE on 01568 708677 or 0797 3243590 (mobile)

3) Jo Palmer of Prime Contact Communications Ltd on 01760 724469 or 07836 584034