How to influence oat quality
Achieving the required quality targets for oats can greatly affect the value of the harvested crop. Crop nutrition programmes have an impact on the quality of the harvested grain and should be planned according the targeted quality parameters.
Oat quality parameters
Oat quality targets will depend on the end user’s required specification e.g. livestock feed or for milling. The main traits to consider are grain protein (%), size (1000 grain weight, TGW) and specific weight (kg/hl).
The factors that affect the quality of oats are variety, soil type, fertilisation and plant protection. The weather conditions during the growing season also have a significant effect on the quality especially mould and toxin contents.
Macronutrient affects on oat quality
Nitrogen and Potassium are the most influential of the macronutrients on grain quality. Nitrogen is important for grain size and protein content whilst potassium maintains the crop structure to prevent lodging that reduces grain size and specific weight.
Micronutrient affects on oat quality
The secondary nutrients sulphur and magnesium influence grain protein and specific weight respectively, whilst the micronutrient zinc and molybdenum also helps nitrogen metabolism that improves grain protein concentrations.
Related articles
How to increase oat grain size and specific weight
Grain specific weight is a measure of the density of the grain. Specific weight is predominantly a genetic trait of varieties, but poor crop nutrition and application can reduce specific weight.
How to increase oat protein content
The protein content of oat grain mainly depends on the variety, but it can also be affected significantly by the crop nutrition strategy, particularly nitrogen and sulphur.
How to increase the feed value of oats
Balanced crop nutrition is important to achieve the highest feed value with nitrogen and sulphur being important.
Oat nutritional summary
A review of nutrient uptake and offtake reveals which nutrients are required at which growth stages together with the role of each nutrient.
Identify and diagnose oat nutrient deficiencies
Identify and diagnose if your oats are suffering from nutrient deficiencies and learn more about the symptoms and causes and how to control or correct the deficiency
Recommended Yara fertilisers for oats
Agronomy advice related to oats
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