Merlin Spring Oats: Soars above the rest
Merlin is the new outstanding addition to the spring oat market which delivers an unrivalled combination of yield, agronomic features and disease resistance. Merlin Spring Oat is suited to all regions in the UK and produces high quality oats when grown either organically or conventionally.
A Cope Seeds exclusive variety, Merlin spring oat is a high performing, high yielding for treated and untreated crops, and has very low screenings, suiting both the farmer and miller. It’s tall with excellent standing ability that offers a specific weight above the 50kg/hl milling oat requirement.
New to the Recommended List
To plant Merlin in spring 2022, please contact us or your merchant
Agrii – Contact the Agrii office on 0845 6073322 or accounts@agrii.co.uk
Robin Appel – Contact the Appel office on 01489 896388 or enquiries@robin-appel.com
Harleys – Contact the Harley’s office on 01577 862586 or info@harleys.co.uk
Giving growers flexibility and millers confidence
In UK trials, Merlin was one of the earliest varieties to ripen. Merlin has the lowest screenings compared to any other varieties available. It offers the best all round package, giving growers the flexibility they need with an ever-reducing armoury of chemicals while retaining the miller’s confidence in quality.
Yield
Varieties compared
Merlin
Canyon
Isabel
Elyann
Treated (% 5-year mean)
105.1
102.6
104.8
97.8
Untreated (% 5-year mean)
99
97
90
88
(AHDB 5 Year Mean)
Agronomics
Varieties compared
Merlin
Canyon
Isabel
Elyann
Lodging (1-9 no PGR)
7
7
7
6
Ripening score
-1
-1
0
-1
Mildew
(1-9)
8
8
5
4
(AHDB 5 Year Mean)
Merlin offers the best lodging score of any listed variety and is the second earliest maturing variety in Scotland, and 8% higher yielding that the earliest. Merlin also scores an 8 for mildew, the top rating given to any oat.
Quality
Varieties compared
Merlin
Canyon
Isabel
Elyann
Kernel Content
73.4
73.2
73.8
76.1
Specific weight (kg/hl)
51.5
51.7
51.7
50.4
Screenings (%)
1.6
2.4
2.1
2.6
(AHDB 5 Year Mean)
Merlin’s screenings are the lowest of any listed oat which is a real bonus to the mills and specific weight is over 1% higher than Elyann. It’s this mix of low screenings, good specific weight and kernel content that is generating interest from the millers.
``In 2020, Merlin established well and had strong disease resistance. It was harvested on 22 August and despite the catchy weather at the time it was standing well and combined easily. The yield was 69t from 9.3ha and the germination was sound. This was a better yield than the other spring oat variety we were growing. For 2021 harvest we were encouraged by the 2020 results to increase our area of Merlin but like all oat and barley combining for 2021 harvest here in Hampshire, conditions were really difficult, however, the Merlin has held its own and has done better than the other Spring Oats we grew. I am planning to plant it again this spring for the 2022 harvest.”
Richard Monk, Hampshire arable farmer
“Kernel content is very good and dehulling looks suitable. The screenings were low and the bushel weight was very good. We look forward to trialing Merlin through the mill in the next few weeks. We buy a great deal of organic gluten-free oats for export and the UK and are very keen to support improved varieties for both growers and millers.”
Philip Raynor, Glebe Farm – Harvest 2021