Oat Variety Trials - 10 - Environmental suitability, end use, and NVT/MFMG hay & grain results

Sep 17, 2026

Oat variety selection is addressed through environmental suitability, intended end use (milling grain, feed grain, grain-and-graze, or hay production), and the likelihood of meeting required grade and quality. Key disease risks for both roots and foliage are considered alongside yield potential. Results summarize 2016 Oats National Variety Trial sites at Bordertown and Frances and MFMG-funded oaten hay trials, comparing grain and hay performance and grading outcomes. Additional multi-site trials examine variety responses across Sherwood and Keith.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages5

Reading Time13 min

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Oat Variety Trials

Varietal decision factors

2016 NVT sites and varieties

MFMG oaten hay trials and grade outcomes

Comparisons across Sherwood and Keith

Notes on recently released milling varieties

10. Oat Variety Trials Felicity Turner, MFMG, [fturner@mackillopgroup.com.au](fturner@mackillopgroup.com.au) When making varietal decisions with oats, need to take into account various factors, including the environmental suitability, end use (milling, feed grain, grain and graze or hay production) and likelihood that the required grade/quality will be achieved, potential disease issues (both root disease and foliar leaf diseases) and yield potential. The 2017 SARDI sowing guide covers each of these factors in depth and can be found at [https://grdc.com.au/SA-SowingGuide2017](https://grdc.com.au/SA-SowingGuide2017) The herbicide tolerance of different oat varieties as well as yield and quality information for grain varieties is available on the NVT [website www.nvtonline.com.au](website www.nvtonline.com.au). There were two Oats National Variety Trial (NVT) sites sown in the South East in 2016. One was located at Bordertown (Table 1) and the other at Frances (Table 2) . The varieties sown were predominantly milling varieties, however Echidna (a feed grain variety) was also included. Bannister, a dwarf milling variety was the highest yielding at both sites (5 . 61t/ha at Bordertown and 7.26t/ha at Frances) . Williams, a tall milling variety also performed well, achieving 5.47 t/ha at Bordertown and 6.39t/ha at Frances. These two varieties are being utilised by farmers in the south-east as a flexible option to either grow for grain or hay production. To assess their performance as hay varieties, the MFMG funded an oaten hay trial at Frances (adjacent to the NVT oats trial) to look at the hay production of oat varieties (Table 3) . Table 1: NVT 2016 Bordertown oat variety trial, grain yield and quality. Oat Variety Trials 57 Table 2: NVT 2016 Frances oat variety trial, grain yield and quality. To complement these trials and provide growers with additional information – particularly around hay production, the MFMG implemented an oaten hay trial at Frances; selected varieties that were chosen by growers and agronomists were planted and assessed for both hay yield and grain yield. The site mean and results in the MFMG oats trial (Table 3) were similar to those received at the NVT site at Frances. The hay yields at Frances (Table 4) highlighted the ability of Bannister and Williams to not only be high yielding grain varieties, but also their ability to provide a high level of bulk when cut for hay. Wintaroo – a true oaten hay variety produced the greatest amount of bulk, however the grade achieved (C3 under the AFIA grading system) was quite low due to the low crude protein levels. Echidna achieved the highest grade of hay (B2 under the AFIA grading system) with good digestibility. Table 3: MFMG 2016 Frances lamoat variety trial, grain yield and quality results. 58 Oat Variety Trials Table 4: MFMG 2016 Frances oat variety trial, hay yield and feed test results. The oaten grain and hay varieties were also planted at Sherwood (Table 5-6) and Keith (Table 6-7) to compare a variety’s ability to produce both quality hay and good grain yields under different environments. This trial work has been implemented at the request of growers who are identifying the benefits of oats in a mixed cropping system. Oats can be taken through for grain (and a milling plant in close proximity at Bordertown) or if the season shuts down, can be cut for hay. It also can be used as a tool to reduce weed burdens in a continuous cropping system. Table 5: MFMG 2016 Sherwood oat variety trial, grain yield and quality results. Oat Variety Trials 59 Table 6: MFMG 2016 Sherwood oat variety trial, hay yield and feed test results. The trial at Keith showed a significant difference between grain yields with Wintaroo significantly lower than all other varieties. Wintaroo and Saia oat varieties were also significantly lower yielding (grain) at the Sherwood site. There was however no significant difference between hay yields a

FAQs

What factors should be considered when making oat varietal decisions?

Selection should account for environmental suitability, end use goals (milling, feed grain, grain-and-graze, or hay), probability of achieving required grade/quality, disease risks (root and foliar), and yield potential.

Which oat varieties performed best for grain yield at the 2016 Bordertown and Frances NVT sites?

Bannister was the highest yielding at both sites, followed closely by Williams, with Echidna included as a feed grain variety.

How did hay trial results differ among oat varieties at Frances, especially regarding grade and bulk?

Bannister and Williams provided high bulk when cut for hay. Wintaroo produced the greatest bulk but had low hay grade due to low crude protein, while Echidna achieved the highest grade with good digestibility.

Sep 17, 2026

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