Record-breaking spring oat delivers bumper yield

A Lincolnshire farm saw Merlin spring oats yield an incredible 11t/ha last summer – over twice the national average.

The unprecedented achievement was achieved by the Happy Days Farming Company, which farms more than 2000ha (5000 acres) of arable crops across Lincolnshire and neighbouring Nottinghamshire.

Farm manager Mark Popplewell attributed the bumper crop to a combination of Merlin’s varietal strengths, optimal nutrition, an unusually wet spring – and beginners luck. “It quickly became clear that we were looking at something exceptional.”

“The yield numbers on the display were so high we initially thought the equipment was faulty,” said Mr Popplewell. “The grain tank was filling much faster than expected, even compared to a strong wheat crop.”

Management

Some 300ha of Merlin were drilled at a 135kg/ha on 30 March following a very wet winter. It was the first oat crop grown by Happy Days Farming. “We were virgin oat growers,” says Mr Popplewell.

The crop followed winter wheat in 2023 and oilseed rape in 2022. The seed was treated with Vibrance Duo, with the crop receiving two growth regulators, two fungicides and micronutrients, with 120kg/ha of nitrogen and 40kg/ha of sulphur trioxide.

“The average yield was 11.5t/ha with the monitor reaching 14t/ha in some places. We’re growing more Merlin in 2025 – the oats fit into the rotation well. We would plant more, but we have wild oats in many fields, so this limits us.”

Plant breeding

Seed supplier Cope says the high yielding crop underlines the importance of advancements in plant breeding. Merlin is a resilient early-to-harvest milling variety, says Cope managing director Gemma Clarke.

“Resilient seed varieties are critical as farmers face increasing challenges from climate change and unpredictable weather. If we see advancements in varieties, we take them forward to official trials and if they perform well, we bring them to market.

“While the conditions this year were unique, the industry is having to contend with more unpredictable weather and demonstrates the need to continue investment in seed breeding to protect the future of farming.”

Performance

On the back of the Merlin’s high yield, Ms Clarke says Cope has applied for a Yield Enhancement Network award for the Lincolnshire crop. But the variety is a consistent performer, so this is unlikely to be a one-off, she adds.

“The combination of an early harvest, making it suitable for all regions of the UK, high disease resistance and strong yield potential means it’s attractive to farmers nationwide,” says Ms Clarke.

“Merlin is accepted by all mills – and is one of only two spring varieties on spring oat contracts. It’s an early variety (-1), offers a competitive lodging score of 7, and has a high rating of 8 for mildew.

“It also has low screenings which is a real bonus to the mills and a good specific weight,” says Ms Clarke.

Cereal fungicide granted full authorisation

A new broad-spectrum fungicide will be available to growers for use across a range of winter and spring sown cereals this season.

It follows regulatory approval for Plaxium – the first first three-way formulation fungicide from Bayer containing Iblon (isoflucypram). Mixed with fluopyram and prothioconazole, Plaxium offers broad-spectrum activity in the convenience of a co-formulation.

Iblon is a proven and highly effective active substance that has shown dependable broad-spectrum activity against the principal foliar threats of cereal crops,” says Bayer fungicide market developer Greg Hanna.

SDHI active isoflucypram, which is marketed in Britain as Vimoy, was launched by Bayer autumn 2023. It is sold in a co-pack with the widely used azole prothioconazole (Proline). Plaxium is seen as a logical development following that launch.

“Following the testing 2024 season, Iblon, commercially available as Vimoy, has earned the trust of growers and advisers delivering reliable control of Septoria, yellow and brown rust among other disease threats.”

Convenience

Mr Hanna says Plaxium builds on this trusted performance with the simplicity and convenience of an emulsifiable concentrate formulation containing fluopyram and prothioconazole.

Following approval by the Chemicals Regulation Directorate, Plaxium can be applied once per season to wheat, barley, oats, rye, triticale and spelt up to the start of flowering (growth stage 61) at a maximum rate of 1.5 litres/ha.

This means growers have the flexibility to apply at either the T1 or T2 timing depending on the seasonal disease pressure and other modes of action used in the programme, explains Mr Hanna.

“Iblon has shown itself to be an effective fungicide across multiple disease targets and application timings. In Plaxium, this flexibility has been retained meaning growers, and their agronomists can choose the timing that best meets their objectives.”