Full results from fungicide-treated and fungicide-untreated RL winter oat trials now available
Average yield of control varieties in fungicide-treated trials is 8.66 t/ha, which is 0.46 t/ha below the 5-year average
Average yield of control varieties in fungicide-untreated trials is 8.07 t/ha which is 0.83 t/ha above the 5-year average
Kernal content is good, but specific weight is lower and sieving’s are higher than in 2024

Harvest results from nine RL winter oat trials are available, with each site having both a fungicide-treated and untreated trial. One site in Herefordshire was abandoned before harvest.

The average yield of control varieties in the fungicide-treated trials is 8.66 t/ha, 0.46 t/ha below the five-year average of 9.12 t/ha, while in the fungicide-untreated trials the average yield of controls varieties is 8.07 t/ha, well above the five-year average of 7.24 t/ha. This increase reflects the lower disease pressure in 2025 compared with recent years, particularly the last two years which saw significant crown rust epidemics.

Calculating yield results

Yields are represented as a percentage of the control varieties, which for 2025 are Dalguise, Mascani and Cromwell. The average yield from these varieties is represented as 100%.

2025 results

The highest yielding variety in the fungicide-treated trials is RGT Southwark on 106%, followed by Dalguise on 105% and Cromwell on 101%. Mascani is the lowest yielding husked variety on 95%. In the fungicide-untreated trials RGT Southwark is again highest yielding, on 105%, with Dalguise on 104%. Quite different to their five-year untreated yields, reflecting the much lower levels of crown rust seen this year and their very different crown rust resistance ratings. Mascani is on 99% in fungicide-untreated trials and Cromwell on 97%.

The naked varieties are always lower yielding but target a different market. In the fungicide-treated trials Peloton is the higher yielding on 76%, with Fusion on 73%. In the fungicide-untreated trials Peloton is on 78%, with Fusion on 71%.

On quality, kernal content is generally good, slightly better than 2024 levels, but specific weight is lower and sievings are higher, particularly in the naked varieties when compared with 2024, not doubt a consequence of the drought.

Five-year averages

The 2025 results show yields based on one season. The five-year average is a better measure of variety performance over seasons.

In the fungicide-treated results RGT Southwark is the highest yielding husked variety on 106% with Dalguise on 103% and Cromwell just behind on 102%. Mascani is on 95%. In the fungicide-untreated trials RGT Southwark is again highest yielding on 113% followed by Cromwell on 105% and Mascani on 98%.

In the fungicide-treated trials Peloton is the higher yielding of the naked varieties on 77%, with Fusion on 72%. In the fungicide-untreated trials Peloton is on 84%, with Fusion on 67%.

Candidates

Oat varieties have two years in trial as RL candidates before being considered for addition to the Recommended List. The five-year average yield is a better measure of variety performance over seasons for candidates and provides an indication of varieties likely to be recommended. Though with oats grain quality is a critical characteristic assessed when deciding on recommendation.

The Year 3 husked candidate RGT Crawford is highest yielding in fungicide-treated trials on 107% but will not be considered for recommendation in until autumn 2026. Rannoch on 106%, will be eligible for recommendation in autumn 2025. It has lower specific weight, but low screenings in 2025. It also has good crown rust resistance. RGT Dempsey, another year 4 husked candidate, is on 104%, and has very good grain quality, though it may be susceptible to lodging. KWS Pertinent is again a year 4 candidate, but it has lagged behind on yield at just 95%, though with good grain quality and resistance to lodging.

In the fungicide-untreated trials Rannoch has performed very well on 118%, with RGT Dempsey on 110%, though the year 3 candidate RGT Crawford tops both of these on 119%.

There is one naked candidate variety, the year 4 candidate Avalon. In the fungicide-treated trials it is on 77%, and 78% in the fungicide-untreated trials. It has very high specific weight and sieving’s similar to Peleton

Further information

Access full trial results via the AHDB website: ahdb.org.uk/harvestresults

AHDB Recommended Lists (RL) trials test variety performance under optimum conditions. Care should be taken when making comparisons with commercial yields. Results from individual trial sites should not be used to make conclusions on variety performance. The RL publications are based on information from trials across the UK over several seasons. As more information becomes available from the current harvest, this will contribute to the over-trials averages – which comprise four years for oilseeds and five years for cereals. These averages provide better information for comparison between varieties. Performance variation is not the responsibility of AHDB. Since the focus is to test new varieties, not all RL varieties are presented. Yields for well-established varieties are published at ahdb.org.uk/rl