Climate change enables oat cultivation in Northern Europe

which varieties are best suited to the emerging climatic conditions of the North. “We want to see how oats respond to extreme environments — cold, snow, wind, rain, and drought. Our mission is to adapt the crop to this new climatic frontier,” explains Grannar Smári Hilmarsson, head of OatFrontiers in Iceland. The project originated at the Agricultural University of Iceland. Researcher Helga Rún Jóhannesdóttir studies yield and seed properties in the laboratory: “Oats are a very resilient crop. Even under poor conditions, they can deliver impressive results,” she notes. The practical aspect of the study is confirmed by farmer Örn Karlsson from southern Iceland, who grows oats for human consumption without using chemical crop protection products. “To grow well, oats need at least 110 days with temperatures above 10°C. Yields are lower than in warmer countries, but the produce is organic. We’re currently working with a Swedish variety, but we expect even better ones in the future — ...