Luukas oat delivered on its promises

Farm entrepreneur Ari Siivonen sowed Luukas oats for the first time last summer on his fields in Huittinen. The variety — described as high‑yielding and strong‑stemmed — lived up to expectations, standing upright through summer thunderstorms.

Siivonen farms about 50 hectares of grain in Huittinen, near the border of Satakunta and Pirkanmaa. In addition to oats, the farm grows wheat and barley, with spring turnip rape also included in the rotation. The crop is sold as feed grain directly to multiple nearby broiler farms.

Siivonen follows new varieties actively, gathering information himself and attending field days. When selecting a variety, key traits include:

• disease resistance
• yield
• suitability for soil type
• required growing degree days

“For example, Fusarium is becoming more common as summers get wetter,” Siivonen notes.

He became interested in Luukas BOR oats because the variety closely resembles Niklas, Finland’s most widely grown oat — a variety familiar to him. According to Siivonen, Luukas is slightly earlier and higher yielding than Niklas BOR.

“Most notably, Luukas has stronger straw than Niklas: Luukas stayed upright even during the July thunderstorms.”

A stressful summer for oats

Siivonen sowed Luukas in early May on 14 hectares of rich soil. Fields received about 20 mm of rain shortly after sowing.

Luukas was treated with a growth regulator in early June together with crop protection sprays. Manganese was applied every time — as it affects grain formation. Fusarium was treated at flowering in late June.

“Last summer you had to be quick — the heat accelerated the growth rhythm,” he notes.

July alternated between hot and heavy rain; 330 mm of rain fell from sowing to harvest. At worst, individual thunderstorms delivered up to 30 mm at once and strong winds threatened lodging.

But Luukas’s strong straw kept the crop standing.

Siivonen notes that:

• many regions saw aborted spikelets
• hectolitre weights were generally low due to heat stress

“We didn’t have many aborts. A humid and slightly cooler summer is better for oats than a hot one.”

Cultivation measures paid off

Harvest: mid‑August. Average dried yield: 7,050 kg/ha.

Siivonen was satisfied: “Considering the conditions, I am satisfied with the yield level of Luukas. Next summer I will sow about the same area — and pair it with Boreal’s upcoming new Jukka oat.”

He uses certified seed every year and prefers Finnish varieties, purchasing mainly from Tilasiemen and Hankkija.

“I want to support domestic breeding. The climate is changing — many springs have no spring at all. We go straight from winter to summer. Breeding must keep pace with the change. Finland needs varieties suited to our conditions.”

Explore the characteristics of Luukas oats in more detail

Cultivation details

Variety: Luukas BOR oats
Farmer: Ari Siivonen
Area: 14 ha
Soil type: rich soil
Tillage: reduced tillage — disc harrow, S‑tine harrow
Sowing date: 10 May
Seeding rate: 500 seeds/m²
Fertilisation: 6 m³ broiler manure on stubble; 190 kg/ha Yara Y2 at sowing; micronutrients included with sprays
Crop protection: 1 June: herbicides, fungicides, growth regulator and 29 June: Fusarium control
Harvest date: 18 August
Harvest moisture: 16%
Average yield: 7,000 kg/ha
Grain quality: hlw 54 kg; TKW 35.1 g; <2 mm grains 5.8%