Oilseed Rape

With most OSR crops now well on their way, growers are doing all they can to ensure robust growth and higher yields. Yara agronomy operations manager, Natalie Wood, and Yara area manager, Oscar Thacker, discuss the current status of OSR crops and what steps growers can take to drive growth forwards.

Launched on 29th November, the AHDB RL 2022/23 for cereals and oilseeds features improvements to cereal lodging resistance ratings and additional information on resistance to septoria in winter wheat, as well as new traits for barley (including BYDV tolerance) and an improved choice of varieties for milling, brewing and distilling. Rachel Hicks reports.

Spring husbandry can provide both value and diversity within a rotation, often demonstrate lower yield variability and can show a better return than their autumn counterparts per £1 spent – although they often struggle to match the best gross margins. But which spring cropping option to choose? Rachel Hicks writes.

Use disease risk forecasts to plan appropriate and timely spray programmes for oilseed rape crops this autumn, is the advice of Dr David Ellerton – technical director with Hutchinsons.

Priming technology looks set to make significant impact on rape establishment, says early adopter Peter Hewson

As 40% of OSR crops in 2020 were reportedly lacking in the micronutrient boron, growers are being urged to make early applications this autumn to support crop establishment.

Catchy weather conditions mean farmers are having to roll out the combines at every available opportunity in order to bring in this year’s winter wheat harvest, while winter barley and OSR are almost complete.

A much wider oilseed rape sowing window as growers adopt different strategies to deal with cabbage stem flea beetle makes it more important than ever that they choose varieties with the right characteristics for their particular drilling slot, insists Dekalb technical specialist, Richard Williams.

Researchers working to combat a devastating pest of oilseed rape have been supported by a fresh injection of funds. Being given £1.8m in funding to fight Flea beetle and protect crops in an environmentally friendly way.

Oilseed rape lost appeal for some farmers following the banning of neonics and issues arising from cabbage stem flea beetle attacks. However, prices are on the rise, and many are now considering whether oilseed might be a worthwhile investment.

With oilseed rape prices significantly higher than this time last year, there could be more of the crop going into the ground this autumn. But before making a final decision, Hutchinsons’ regional director James Short urges growers to think carefully about how they will get crops to perform well amidst the many establishment challenges.

Bringing together the latest intelligence from across the industry, to help oilseed rape growers make the most of early August drilling, is an authoritative 20-page guide published this summer.