WPB Isabel topped the 2023 AHDB spring oat recommended list treated trials with a fungicide treated yield of 103% followed by Merlin at 102%. Merlin (108%) and Canyon (106%) were the pick of untreated trials.
Though yields are above average, some late trials suffered from the wet end to harvest, with lodging and sprouting leading to trials being rejected.
In treated trials, year 4 candidates Asterion and Zenith performed well at 103% and 102%, respectively. Both varieties look to have reasonable grain quality and will be considered for recommendation in November. Year 3 candidate Caledon is the highest-yielding 2023 variety at 104% but will not be considered for recommendation until 2024.
Yield isn’t everything when it comes to described naked oat varieties. Lennon and Oliver are on 73%, and Kamil 69%. Year 4 naked candidate variety Ovation matched Lennon and Oliver and will be considered for adding to the list as a described variety in November.
In the fungicide-untreated trials, Merlin (108%) and Canyon (106%) are the top-yielding recommended varieties in 2023, with WPB Isabel some way behind on 101%. However, year 3 candidate Caledon is the standout variety with an impressive 113%. Year 4 candidate Asterion also performed well at 106%.
Lennon is the highest yielding of the described naked varieties in fungicide-untreated trials at 75% followed by Oliver (69%) and Kamil (67%). Year 4 candidate Ovation pipping Lennon at 77%.
Five-year average performance
With relatively few trials per year, growers are advised to make variety choices on the five-year average.
On this measure, the year 3 candidate Caledon is highest yielding in the fungicide-treated trials (107%), and it has low lodging. The 4 four candidate Zenith is at 105% with the other year 4 candidate Asterion at 102%, but both varieties look to be somewhat susceptible to lodging.
The highest yielding of the currently recommended varieties is Merlin (103%), with WPB Isabel and Canyon at 101%. Aspen (98%) and Lion and Conway (97%) are a little behind these with newly recommended RGT Vaughan at 96%.
Of the naked varieties, Oliver is the highest yielding (74%), followed by the year 4 candidate Ovation at 73%, Lennon at 70% and Kamil at 68%.
In the fungicide-untreated trials, the year 3 husked candidate Caledon is again the highest yielding (113%), with the year 4 candidate Asterion at 108% and Zenith at 100%. Of the currently recommended varieties, Merlin is highest yielding at 110% with Canyon at 108%. Newly recommended RGT Vaughan has done better in these fungicide-untreated trials on 103%. In the naked varieties, Lennon is at 72%, Oliver is at 69% and Kamil is at 66%, with the year 4 naked candidate Ovation highest yielding at 76%.
