The 2026 recommended list for spring oats from the Department of Agriculture has three varieties.

WPB Enya has been fully recommended this year, after being provisionally recommended last year.

KWS Titant, which was also provisionally recommended last year, has not been fully recommended.

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The remaining varieties on the list, see table 1, are Husky and WPB Isabel.

Both varieties are well-known to oat growers. Husky has been on the list since 2009 and Isabel has been on the list since 2019.

WPB Isabel is well ahead on yield with a score of 104.

It is also the tallest variety, but has the highest resistance to lodging and straw breakdown.

Husky is an earlier ripener so is good to have in the ground to spread out work load. Varieties are similar on disease resistant profiles.

WPB Isabel tops the table for KPH and kernel content, while WPB Enya has a thousand grain weight of 47.6.

Husky is estimated to take up 53% of the seed in 2026. WPB Enya is at about 30%, WPB Isabel is at about 16% of seed availability.

Limited demand

With limited demand for oats and plenty of oats in storage growers should check they have a market before planting the crop.

This sounds bad in a country that imports millions of tonnes of animal feed, but unfortunately it is reality as there seems to be resistance to purchasing Irish oats at present.