CHATSWOOD, AUSTRALIA — The Grains Australia Oat Council has accepted two new high-yielding varieties — 13008-18 from InterGrain and Koala from Seednet — into the first stage of the Australia Oat Classification Program.
The April 17 announcement followed the inaugural in-person meeting of the council in Perth, Australia, on April 3 to develop the country’s first National Oat Classification Program. These two varieties are now officially at Stage Zero Evaluation and will progress to full commercial milling assessment next year before further classification decisions are made.
InterGrain’s 13008-18 is a dual-purpose oat variety that is intended for use in all growing regions across Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. Seednet’s Koala is a mid- to long-season oat variety that is suited for growing in medium- to high-rainfall environments. Both varieties have improved disease resistance and have the potential to offer good options for growers and millers.
Promoters of the two varieties under evaluation will spend the current growing season bulking up the varieties to generate enough grain suitable to commence Stage One commercial milling assessment from January 2024.
“As the industry is investing more in oat breeding, it’s increasingly important that we have a strong classification system that can ensure new varieties meet the needs of our domestic and international customers and Australian growers,” said Ashley Wiese, Oat Council chair and West Australian grain grower.
Grains Australia, an initiative of the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC), delivers value to the Australian grains industry through the provision of industry good services including management of classification, trade market access, and market information and education that improves the industry’s competitiveness and profitability.
