Sweet Oat - Vitality from Heritage Grains

Annika Michelson

Häme University of Applied Sciences

annika.michelson@hamk.fi

www.viljalaari.fi

• Landrace oats are adapted to cultivation without easily water-soluble mineral fertilizers - they lodge with too much nutrients in the soil
• By growing landrace oats organically, we reduce the risk of nutrient emissions into waterbodies
• Finnish landrace oat is typically between 1-1.30 m high. Their larger root system provides more carbon in the soil. More carbon (organic material) means that the soil can cope better with heavy rains and drought.

Grow plants that cooperate

Our traditional way of cultivating oat was intercropped for food security.

​

Plants supported and complemented each other for resilience.

All sown at one time in the beginning of the summer (june)

1. Landrace oats / barley (aug-sept.)
2. Landrace slash-and-burn turnip (oct.)
3. Landrace slash-and-burn rye (following year)

5% of the soil is living organisms

We

recognize

our

collaboration

partners

Dead organic matter supports high microbial activity

Here works the earthworms

Porous ​​areas in the soil

Water stable agregates

Root microbs works close to the roots

We improve the living environment for our partners

(Tandon, 2016; Mishra, Prakash & Arora, 2016; Wikipedia: Rhizosphere)

A wide range

of partners provide crops with better plant health and greater nutritional content

(Ekholm et al, 2007; Loladze, 2024; Michelson et al., 2024; Zamaratskaia, 2021)

Five oats - two landraces (Ylitornio, Savitaipale), two old oat cultivars (Simo and Tammi) and one modern oats roots were photographed summer 2025. Photos. Indigo Weeglaghan, Luke (2025)

Finnish landrace oat (N27) & old cultivars (N24)

Natur works with colors

Nopsa is Finland's second oat variety, a cross between Ligowo oats and the northern Swedish Norrbotten variety. The selection was made in 1909. Nopasa means fast and it still grows quickly and matures early. It has a great diversity in different types of panniculars.

Natur works with structures

The diverse heritage grain field is a forgotten cultural landscape

We work

with diversity in structure

and color

for better resilience

(Gerhardt et al., 2018; Gerhardt, 2021)

Adaptablity measurement - how was it done?

ADAPTABILITY MEASUREMENT�(Michelson et al., 2024)

The length between the flag leaf (knot) and the ear of different varieties, in different fields and in different years was measured. The difference in length between the longest and shortest distance was calculated, and this is how the adaptability measure (in cm) was created. This measure can be an indication of genetic diversity of the grain, its transformation capacity and adaptability to climate change. Comparing the adaptability measure with the grain's straw length and yield gives tips on what to sow in your own field, depending on what problems there are with the soil, the growing location or the microclimate.

Michelson, Annika; Heinonen, Maarit; Raiskio, Sakari, Raiskio, Kirsi & Pihava, Juha-Matti (2023). Viljalaari - lisää monimuotoisuutta peltoon. Häme University of Applied Scienses, Natural Resources Institute Finland Diversity to fields project report. Chapter 4. Usabiulity criteria in Enlighs.

What sort should I choose for my field?

Based on average from different years and fields

Oats

We support local economy and culture for a higher degree of self-

sufficiency

Sources

Ekholm, Päivi; Reinivuo, Heli; Mattila, Pirjo; Pakkala, Heikki; Koponen, Jani; Happonen, Anu; Hellström, Jarkko; Ovaskainen, Marja-Leena (2007): Changes in the mineral and trace element contents of cereals, fruits and vegetables in Finland. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis 20:487-495.

Gerhardt, Karin; Wallman, Dylan; Axelsson Linkowski, Weronika (2019): Äldre sorters spannmål och extremvädret 2018 – hur gick det? SLU. Future Food Reports 8.

Gerhardt, Karin (2021): Genetisk mångfald hos äldre spannmålssorter - berikar den odlade mångfalden. Biodiverse nr 1/ 2021

Källunda gård

Loladze, I. (2014) Hidden shift of the ionome of plants exposed to elevated CO2 depletes minerals at the base of human nutrition. eLife doi:10.7554/eLife.02245

Michelson, Annika; Heinonen, Maarit; Raiskio, Sakari; Raiskio, Kirsi & Pihlava, Juha-Matti (2024): Viljalaari - lisää monimuotoisuutta peltoon. Monimuotoisuutta peltoon -hankeraportti.

Michelson, Annika & Heinonen, Maarit (2024): Viljelty monimuotoisuus - tie pellolta pöytään. TiekarttaVisio 2040. Monimuotoisuutta peltoon -hankeraportti.

Mishra, Jitendra; Prakash, Jai; Arora, Naveen (2016): Role of Beneficial Soil Microbes in Sustainable Agriculture and Environmental Management. Climate change and enviornmental Sustainability 4(2): 137

Tandon, Neha (2016): PGPR: Role and Importance in Agriculture. 

Marcusgården. Facebook; Marcusgården Grästorp

Ntakirutimana, Fabrice & Xie, Wengang (2019). Morphological and Genetic Mechanisms Underlying Awn Development in Monocotyledonous Grasses. Genes (Basel). 2019 Jul 30;10(8):573. doi: 10.3390/genes10080573

Wikipedia: Rhizosphere.

Zamaratskaia, Galia; Gerhardt, Karin & Wendin, Karin (2021): Biochemical characteristics and potential applications of ancient cereals - An underexploited opportunity for sustainable production and consumption. ScienceDirect. Trends in Food Science and Technology. Volume 107, January 2021.

Contact information

Project leader Annika Michelson, 

Häme University of Applied Sciences, Finland (HAMK), �annika.michelson@hamk.fi, +358 50 5745385

�Maarit Heinonen, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), maarit.heinonen@luke.fi�

Heidi Barman-Geust, Novia University of Applied Sciences (Novia), Finland. heidi.barman-geust.novia.fi

Annika & Maarit

Heidi

www.viljalaari.fi

https://www.facebook.com/groups/maatiaisviljat