Healthy Oats

Oats are a traditional crop in Irish and Welsh farming systems, with demand increasing significantly due to their health benefits (gluten free, high β-glucan).  Healthy Oats will survey consumer attitudes to oat products and survey oat germplasm performance in current and future climate scenarios; to help industry develop new products, to demonstrate their health benefits, and to evaluate how policy can promote sustainable oat product production to the benefit of Irish and Welsh economies.  Healthy Oats will bring together unique expertise in both Ireland and Wales on germplasm selection, oat genotyping, consumer behaviour and oat product development.  Multi- locational testing of germplasm across Ireland and Wales will result in greater understanding of the impact of both the environment and genotype on yield stability and grain quality.