Dr Johnson could be proved wrong by oats renaissance

DR SAMUEL Johnston may have considered oats as mere horse feed but increasingly scientists are finding this very traditional crop can provide answers to some of the big issues in the 21st century.

Yesterday Dr Sandy Cowan, an oat breeder at the University of Aberystwyth, highlighted future uses of oats ranging from reducing greenhouse gas emissions to delivering highly active anti-oxidants.

Speaking in Dundee at the Cereals in Practice event where the latest research in cereals was on show, he also said there was now an increased recognition of the role of oats could play in areas such as reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.

The important component in dealing with this disease is the soluble fibre, beta glucan, and increasing the level of this in new spring and winter varieties of oats was one of the top priorities in his current breeding programme.

Key to achieving this and other targets would be the increased use of molecular markers which he said was opening up great opportunities.

The oat breeding programme is but one part of a multi-faceted five-year research programme - Quoats - which was launched last year. There were three other major themes within this 5 million research package which has no less than 30 partners ranging from the three mainland governments as well as the main cereal research funding body, the Home Grown Cereals Authority.

Cowan highlighted the progress that was now being made in producing low lignin oats where the reduced fibre in the diet of ruminants would help reduce methane output and thus benefit the environment through cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Work is also ongoing into producing oat varieties suitable for the poultry industry with increased oil levels.