Results are presented from the ORC trials as part of the QUOATS project aiming to increase the sustainability and economic attractiveness of oats as a low input crop in cereal based rotations. Data from the trials demonstrates how oats yield higher and more reliably than wheat under organic conditions and highlights the very different trends in variety performance in organic com-pared to conventional systems. Exactly what factors limiting yield over the four trial years, such as weed or disease pressure, are examined and the traits enabling some varieties to better cope with these pressures is investigated. This will go some way to addressing the lack of information available to farmers for variety selection and identify potential breeding objectives for oats in organic systems.
