Task 2: Optimising growth conditions for increased bioactive concentration in Irish Heritage Oats

Objective:

This task aims to investigate the impact of growing conditions on the production of beneficial oat antioxidants.
It is divided into two objectives:

To determine the impact of nitrogen availability on antioxidant production within a diverse genotypic population of Irish Heritage oats.
To determine the effect of fungal disease on antioxidant production in a genetically diverse population of Irish Heritage oat varieties.

Lead Researcher & Institutions:

Cathal McCabe (UCD)

Timeline:

Start Month: Month 1
End Month: Month 24

Task Description

Oats are increasingly recognised in human nutrition due to their health benefits, particularly linked to β-glucan content and a range of antioxidant compounds such as avenanthramides, phytic acids, sterols, and phenolics. Evidence from previous studies (e.g., HealthyOats project) indicates higher phenolic content and antioxidant activity in organically produced oats compared to conventionally grown oats. This suggests that in-field agronomic conditions strongly influence bioactive compound production.

Organic systems, characterised by reduced chemical inputs, raise key questions regarding whether antioxidant production is driven primarily by:

Avenanthramide production is known to increase in response to fungal infection, particularly crown rust (Puccinia coronata), though powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis) is also highly relevant under Irish conditions. Nitrogen availability has also been shown to influence antioxidant levels in oats. This task will identify the key agronomic and environmental drivers of antioxidant production under Irish conditions, enabling targeted production strategies and supporting development of unique selling points (USPs) for high-value oat-based products. Two parallel field trials will be conducted across multiple locations over two growing seasons:

Trial 1 will assess the effect of nitrogen availability on antioxidant production across diverse oat genotypes.
Trial 2 will assess the effect of fungal disease using fungicide-treated and untreated plots to evaluate pathogen impact on antioxidant production.

Milestones

Selection of germplasm including variety evaluation trials completed (Month 3)
Development of protocols for quantification of bioactive compounds in oat grain completed (Month 6)
Completion of Year 1 multi-location Variety × N and Variety × Fungicide field trials (Month 9)
Completion of bioactive compound analysis from Year 1 Trial 1 and Trial 2 samples (Month 11)
Completion of Year 2 field trials (Month 19)