Evaluating Oat (Avena Sativa) Performance Under Vertical Agrivoltaic System in Sweden

Agrivoltaic (AV) systems offer a promising pathway for energy conversion on agricultural land while supporting crop cultivation. However, their widespread adoption is hindered by agronomic uncertainties, including the lack of crop performance data across regions and system configuration. In this context, the present study investigated the growth, yield, and quality of oat cultivated under an AV system. The experiment was conducted in central Sweden under rainfed conditions. In May 2024, oats were cultivated both under a vertical AV system and in a reference area without photovoltaic modules. Leaf area index (LAI), dry matter yield, thousand kernel weight (TKW), and crude protein and fat content were measured to assess morphological, productive, and qualitative parameters. The results show that LAI was significantly lower under the AV system. An 8.4% reduction in total biomass (DM kg/ha) was observed under the AV system; however, this difference was not statistically significant. Similarly, no significant differences were observed in TKW, crude protein, and crude fat contents (% of dry weight) compared to the reference. These findings highlight that moderate shading under vertical AV systems (with a seasonally average reduction of 41.8% in photosynthetically active radiation in our case) can sustain stable oat yields both quantitatively and qualitatively. Additionally, relative crop yields varied across the AV system row, where yield in the west, middle, and east part were 110.1%, 85.9%, and 78.8% with PAR reductions of 42.3%, 36.6%, and 46.6%, respectively. It highlights the importance of diurnal shading dynamics. This is likely due to favorable west-side shading, which provides full sun during peak photosynthesis and beneficial afternoon shade in accordance with the peak of vapor pressure deficit.