InterGrain oat breeder Dr Allan Rattey explains his work to the Grains Australia Oat Council at its visit earlier this month to the company’s Bibra Lake facility. Photo: InterGrain

THE Grains Australia Oat Council has today announced two new high-yielding oat varieties, InterGrain’s 13008-18 and Seednet’s Koala, have been accepted into the first stage of the new Australian Oat Classification Program.

This follows the inaugural in-person meeting of the Grains Australia Oat Council in Perth on April 3, and means 13008-18 and Koala are now officially at Stage Zero Evaluation.

They will progress to full commercial milling assessment next year before further decisions are made about their classification.

Chair of Grains Australia’s Oat Council and Western Australian grower Ashley Wiese said the council was working closely with industry on the development of Australia’s first National Oat Classification program.

“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 Mr Wiese.

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 suited for growing in medium to high-rainfall environments.

Both varieties have improved disease resistance, and 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 in order to generate enough grain suitable to commence Stage One commercial milling assessment from January 2024.

WA is one of the world’s major oat exporters, and its varietal classification was previously conducted by the Grain Industry Association of WA’s Oat Council.

Other members of the inaugural Grain Australia Oat Council are: