The James Hutton Institute has received £100,000 from the Novo Nordisk Foundation for a three-year project, led by the Innovation Centre for Organic Agriculture in Denmark, in collaboration with Nordic Genebank (NordGen) and Aarhus University.
The project aims to identify oat varieties that are nutritionally superior and yield-stable through experimental and on-farm trials in diverse environments and organic management systems.
As global demand for sustainable, healthy food grows, oat — ranked as the third most popular cereal in the UK after wheat and barley — offers a nutritious solution. It is rich in protein, minerals, and fibre, particularly β-glucan, which helps lower cholesterol levels and improve post-meal glycaemic responses.
The Hutton Institute, a global leader in food security research, addresses sustainable land and natural resource management while meeting the growing demand for agricultural productivity and crop resilience, according to a press release. Oat is well-suited to organic farming in northern Europe due to its resilience, low nitrogen requirements, disease resistance, and effective weed control.
“The project brings together experts in plant genetics, agronomy, and mathematics to harness the unique properties of oat, with its low carbon footprint and significant nutritional and health benefits,” Dr. Joanne Russell, the Hutton’s lead on this study explains. “The key issue for oat producers is the lack of stability in year-to-year supply and quality, largely due to seasonal fluctuations in environmental factors. We will focus on the need to develop robust organic-ready oat cultivars specifically tailored to sustainable organic production and address some of the emerging challenges in food and help secure food production.”
Researchers will examine the genes of 200 oat varieties and landraces collected from across the Nordic region, some of which have been grown for over a century, adapting to climate changes and evolving agricultural practices.
Oat is currently experiencing a global resurgence. It ranks as the sixth most-produced cereal worldwide and makes up 25% of organic cereals grown in Denmark. In the UK, oat production increased by 19% in 2024, driven by both expanded acreage and higher yields.
The oat market is projected to grow by 3.7% annually from 2024 to 2032, driven by rising health consciousness and increasing demand for functional foods — nutritious foods linked to a range of significant health benefits.
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