Teagasc Oak Park is to host a ‘Healthy Oats’ trials visit for growers and industry stakeholders on Wednesday of this week (August 10).
The event will provide visitors with an opportunity to view the range of ‘heritage’ spring oat varieties that are currently under investigation at the Co. Carlow site.
The event is taking place during year two of a three-year project, involving research staff at University College Dublin (UCD), Teagasc, Aberystwyth University and Swansea University.
Healthy Oats Project
Christened the ‘Healthy Oats’ project, the work will focus on a number of factors that will impact positively on the growth of oats as a cereal crop option in Ireland and Wales.
The overall objective of the initiative is to develop practical management and low input climate resilient methods leading to improvement of the agricultural sector and human health.
Allied to this will be the improvement in the long-term feasibility of oats through the development of new, nutritionally-enhanced varieties that are resistant to changes in the climate.
It is also hoped to develop new products and industrial procedures and processing techniques based on optimal, sustainable and nutritious oats. These will help satisfy the fast-growing market demand for plant protein products.
And, finally, it is envisaged that ‘Healthy Oats’ will enhance the income diversity in rural communities.
In turn, this will act to reduce their dependence on livestock farming and maximise secondary socio-economic and ecological benefits through innovation in the food supply system.
Trial sites
At the heart of the project is an assessment of heritage oat varieties that have been developed in both Ireland and Wales.
To this end, trial work is ongoing at three sites in Ireland, one of which is Teagasc Oak Park.
Dr. Atikur Rahman is the man heading up Teagasc’s oat research and development projects.
He said: “A total of 52 heritage varieties are being assessed. The first year of the project did not include replicated trials.
“However, the work that was carried out in 2021 has allowed us to identify specific oat varieties that have double the beta-glucan content of most other types. This is highly significant, given that beta-glucan acts to lower blood cholesterol levels.
“Replicated trials have been established in 2022. This work should allow us to look at a host of parameters including yield potential and grain quality.”
Dr. Rahman explained that growers will want to know if the yields that can be generated by the various heritage varieties are sustainable over a number of years.
“Disease resistance is another trait that we will be seeking to identify,” he added.
The global oats market was valued at $6.16 billion last year. This figure is expected to rise by just short of 8% in 2022.
Oat consumption is linked with verified health benefits. The grains contain the highest levels of protein and oils amongst cereal crops. Modern plant breeding has been focused on grain yield and lodging resistance as key selection points.
The ‘Healthy Oats’ project will provide for a ‘deep dive’ into oat germplasm. This work will help identify varieties, which can add value for oat growers.
