Oilseed Rape

Winter oilseed rape crops in the north east which have received a managed input programme are on track for an average harvest despite one of the worst ever growing seasons, reports NIAB's trials manager, David Young from NK's trial site based at Cockle Park, Morpeth.

The site is part of NK Performance Evaluation Network (PEN), a major new initiative launched by the company and designed to help growers make more informed decisions this coming season when selecting their oilseed rape varieties.

“2004/05 has been a very strange year as far as conditions are concerned,” he said. “The PEN trial crop was sown in late August in particularly wet conditions while the following month was very dry and establishment was slow.

“We escaped a hard winter, it was just cold and wet, and by the end of March the crop should have been romping away. Instead it seems to have taken twice as long to get going and added to that was pressure from Light Leaf Spot.

“However, we have had an extended flowering period. Flowering has stretched from early May through to mid June, an indication the plants were attempting to compensate and make the most of a series of cool and dullish spring days,” he added.

“That extended flowing period seems to have led to the plants podding well and indicating that the crop is on the way towards achieving average yields. Oilseed rape is one of those crops that can bring real surprises at harvest.”

He adds: “Our observations at the trial site reflect the trend among commercial crops in the North East. Farmers who treat winter oilseed rape as a managed crop are this season using forecasting tools to enable them to take prescriptive rather than reactive measures. If there are real problems among crops, then they will usually be traced back to establishment.

“Establishment is the key towards higher yields, and better gross margins. To achieve that aspiring average 4.2t/ha achieved by German growers, then this coming season, all growers need to make more repair work to subsoil and better incorporation of straw and trash.

“And in certain problem situations ploughing should be considered to ensure a firm and level seedbed is achieved. Seed placement needs to be at an even depth and seed rates need to be appropriate for variety, seedbed and drilling date,” he said.

• The NK Performance Evaluation Network venture features trial sites in a total of seven major oilseed rape growing areas located throughout Britain: in addition to Cockle Park, the sites can be found at Kinross, Driffield, Louth, Northampton, Cambridge and Salisbury.
• Each site features 20 winter oilseed rape varieties; a mix of HGCA Recommended List 2005/06 varieties, and National List Year II and Recommended List candidates.

PEN has been structured to enable growers for the first time to make a direct local and national comparison of the performance of National List Year II candidate varieties with existing commercial varieties - those on the current HGCA Recommended List. The initiative will extend the information available to growers beyond the HGCA Recommended List trial sites.

“The PEN venture is an excellent idea,” said Chris Bean of UAP who are co-operating with NK at the Cockle Park trial site. “As times get harder and margins slimmer, both farmers and advisors need the information from local trials to help interpret the reams of paper which land on the desk in order to be able to manage the crop successfully.”

The trial sites are being closely monitored throughout the growing period and feedback on individual variety performance will be available throughout, culminating at harvest with a report on each variety's yields within 24 hours of coming off the field.

NK is staging a PEN open day at Cockle Park on Tuesday (June 21). For further details contact NK on 01223 494010.