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).Venn grain quality

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

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

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

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

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.
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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

See all oat article pages

Recommended Yara fertilisers for oats

YaraBela AXAN
27% N + 3.6% S - Uniform compound granular nitrogen and sulphur fertiliser for use on all crops.
YaraMila ACTYVA S
16-6.6-12.4 + 2.6% S - Granular fertiliser often used for grasland, winter cereals and oilseed rape to supply phosphate and potash together with nitrogen and sulphur.
YaraVita MANTRAC PRO
A flowable liquid micronutrient fertiliser containing 500 g/l of manganese for application as a foliar spray or seed treatment to a wide range of crops to treat or prevent manganese deficiency.
YaraVita GRAMITREL
A flowable liquid fertiliser with a balanced combination of micronutrients including manganese, magnesium, copper and zinc for foliar application to cereals.
YaraVita MAGFLO 300
A flowable liquid fertiliser containing 300 g/l magnesium for foliar application to cereals and potatoes or treat magnesium deficiency in a wide range of crops.
YaraVita MANCOZIN
A flowable liquid micronutrient fertiliser containing manganese, copper and zinc for foliar application to treat micronutrient deficiencies on cereals and broadacre crops.
See all fertilisers choices

Agronomy advice related to oats

Do you really need straight nitrogen
Do you really need straight nitrogen
Before ordering your straight nitrogen it is worth considering how much you actually need as it may be you actually need NS or NPKS grades instead.
Don't forget about sulphur
Don't forget about sulphur
Sulphur was often overlooked in the past but today it is recognised as an essential nutrient and considered just as important as nitrogen, so not to be forgotten.
Heavier fertiliser spreads further
Heavier fertiliser spreads further
Some fertilisers consistently spread further and more accurately than others. A heavier and larger fertiliser granule will spread further because the spreader can put more energy into it.
See all agronomy advice

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