Comparison of Biologically Active Iodine and Potassium Iodide Treatments in Increasing Grain Iodine Content and Quality of Oats

Iodine is an essential nutrient for all living organisms to maintain their vital functions. Enrichment of oat, which has the highest nutritional value among cereals, with iodine will be an important step in alleviating the malnutrition and health problems caused by microelement and iodine deficiency. In this study, the effects of biologically active iodine (BAI) and potassium iodide (KI) applied to oat plants from seed, soil and foliar on grain yield, grain protein, p-glucan, acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) contents, and grain iodine and potassium concentrations were investigated under field conditions. The findings of this study showed that soil application of BAI was effective in increasing the grain yield of oats, while foliar BAI application was effective in improving grain quality. The highest iodine and potassium concentrations of grain were determined from foliar KI application. The results revealed that foliar spraying of iodine in addition to basic fertilization in oat cultivation could contribute to obtaining products with high yield and quality as well as higher nutrition. The product containing BAI can be recommended as an environmentally friendly practice as it will restrict the use of chemicals. Higher doses of BAI should be used to determine the effectiveness in increasing grain iodine content.