Editor’s Note: Nick Ohde is research and media coordinator with Practical Farmers of Iowa and a regular contributor to Wallaces Farmer magazine.

The time to plant oats is rapidly approaching. Same as with corn and soybeans, choosing the right variety of oats to plant is critical for success. The right oat variety can improve oat yields, test weight and resistance to diseases. Practical Farmers of Iowa has been working with Iowa State University to evaluate oat varieties as part of an effort to improve the profitability of small grains production in the state.

GROW SOME OATS: Time to plant oats is rapidly approaching. As with corn and soybeans, choosing the right oat variety is critical for success. With low crop prices, farmers are looking at oats as a third crop, with rotation benefits.

In 2015, PFI and Iowa State tested 16 oat varieties at both the ISU Northern Research and Demonstration Farm at Kanawha, and ISU’s Northeast Research and Demonstration Farm at Nashua. The trials assessed each variety for yield, test weight and disease susceptibility. PFI also interviewed scientists from milling companies to find out the oat-quality criteria used when sourcing oats for rolled oats and oat flour. PFI used that information as a baseline to compare how oats in a variety trial performed.

Oat varieties are rated for disease resistance, test weight, yield
At ISU’s Northeast Research and Demo Farm, PFI conducted a separate research trial looking at four of the 16 oat varieties to see how they fared with and without fungicides applied. Results of both trials are in a new research report, “Oat Variety and Fungicide Trial,” available to read or download.

At both research locations, the oat varieties Betagene, Deon, Badger and Natty were among the top performers in terms of yield. These varieties also proved more resistant to crown rust, the most common disease of oats in Iowa.

Farmers are planting oats to help break corn/bean disease cycle
On the milling quality side, the varieties Badger, Betagene, GM423, Goliath and Natty met all the quality specifications – which include characteristics such as test weight, groat and thin oats percentages, and concentrations of fat and beta glucan – with the exception of test weight. With proper management, however, farmers growing these varieties could increase test weight to meet the processors’ requirements.

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Dave Hiler farms near Rockwell City and is considering growing oats this year. He says that having data on which varieties performed well – and knowing those varieties were independently tested – is crucial to growing profitable crops, especially for those new to the crop. “I’ve never grown oats before, and it’s important for me to know what varieties did well locally,” Dave says. He hopes the benefits of adding crop diversity will help his farm operation. “We’ve been having some disease issues in a couple of our soybean fields, and hopefully by putting some oats in the rotation, we can help break up the corn/soybean disease cycle.”

Iowa oat acres dropped from 7 million acres in 1950 to 55,000 now
Oats were once grown extensively in Iowa. In 1950, Iowa led the nation in oat production, with nearly 7 million acres planted across the state. In 2015, oats were grown on only 55,000 acres in the state. The vast majority of the world’s oat crop goes to livestock feed, but historically, large quantities of food-grade oats were also grown by farmers in the Upper Midwest and sold to companies like Quaker Oats in Cedar Rapids and General Mills in the Twin Cities. Those companies now source their oats primarily from Canada and Scandinavia.

Tom Rabaey, crop scientist with General Mills, says his company wants to expand its sourcing areas, and oat variety testing is an important part of that process. “These oat variety trials give us a chance to see how quality milling of oat varieties will perform in Iowa,” says Rabaey. He adds, “these oat variety trials are also valuable for farmers by revealing which varieties meet milling standards, knowledge that will allow farmers to diversity their crop operation while expanding their market opportunities.”

Farmers who want to plant oats still have time to order seed
Mac Ehrhardt of Albert Lea Seedhouse sells several of the varieties tested in the trial. He says the oat variety testing work in Iowa is crucial for growing quality oats under actual field conditions. Ehrhardt adds, “Without regional data on yield, lodging, disease tolerance, test weight, height and other agronomic characteristics, how can farmers have any idea what oat variety to plant?”

Farmers interested in planting oats still have time to order seed: “We have lots of oats,” says Ehrhardt. We will sell out of some varieties, but I don’t expect to sell out of certified oat seed this spring. Farmers wishing to pick up their own seed should call ahead to make sure the variety is in stock. If you want to have seed delivered, in-stock seed usually gets to the farm in three to four working days. For information, visit allseed.com.”

Oats are a quick way to add diversity to corn/bean system
Small grains production is important to Practical Farmers of Iowa members. Growing a small grains crop, like oats, is the quickest way to add diversity to a corn-soybean system.

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Because oats are harvested in July, farmers have time to plant a diverse cover crop mix in late summer and reap the many benefits of a longer growing season for the cover crop. Introducing a small grains crop like oats to a corn-bean system enables farmers to improve yields, reduce herbicide and fertilizer use, and improve soil and water quality.

Funding for the Iowa oat variety trial comes in part from Albert Lea Seedhouse, General Mills, Grain Millers and the Sustainable Food Lab. To learn more visit practicalfarmers.org/small-grains.