After an easier year for oilseed rape, the crop is expected to claw back some of its reputation this harvest, and area is predicted to rise again for the 2021/22 season.
David听Bouch, seeds manager at听Hutchinsons听predicts OSR acreage could sit around the听400,000-hectare听mark听or slightly above听for the coming season. However, this is still some way down on 2019, which saw 530,000ha put in the听ground,听听only听half of the UK's OSR area nine years ago.听
"However, there听is still potentially a 30听per cent听increase on last autumn and there's some enthusiasm there," he says.
"Naturally, those who didn't put any in the ground last year are already regretting it if they are looking over their neighbour's hedge, and the prices are very buoyant. Rotationally, it is still the best entry for wheat.听
"So long as growers can get it听into the right seedbed at the right time with the right moisture, and also hopefully experiencing听no听or little flea damage, then it'll do the job. Dry, poor seedbeds will present听challenges."
Variety
Variety-wise, Mr Bouch says he would lean towards hybrid varieties because they tend to be more trait-stacked incorporating podshatter, TuYV with the exception of a few varieties, and RLM7 phoma resistance. 听
"Aurelia听is currently the听most widely grown hybrid听and it ticks all these boxes. For those drilling into more challenging conditions or who are drilling later,听Aviron听shares the same traits as Aurelia听but has exceptional vigour in autumn and spring.听You've just got to be more in control of the PGR programme."听
New from Pioneer, is the candidate sclerotinia-resistant variety, PT303.听听
"It also has听TuYV听resistance and in the East/West it looks like it听will be an听exceptional performer regardless of sclerotinia resistance.听
"I would also consider听Dazzler听which听did well last year, and Picasso.听听Picasso听does听not听have听the听gross output听of Aurelia and听Aviron听but it has good听vigour,听TuYV听and is perhaps shorter and stiffer.听It does听not have pure out and out yield but will establish quickly and give a robust crop."听
Risk
Liam Wilkinson, arable development manager at听Limagrain听says the recent storms [July 20] have shown the value of traits like听podshatter.听
He says: "It听is all about mitigating risk at any time and starting with the best seed will give you the best chance from the get-go. We听have got these fully loaded hybrids and mitigated as much risk as possible. Make use of what听is there from the start and does听not听need to come out听of听a can."听
Offering his top tips for getting off to a good start next season, Mr Wilkinson says: "The biggest thing this season [2020/21] has been drilling into moisture rather than drilling date. But once you听have got it in the ground, you听have got to get it up and moving and not let it stop, so drill when you know听there is a period of moisture ahead. The crop needs to get to 3-5 leaves to be听safer听from adult grazing damage.听
Vigour
"Varietal vigour widens your drilling window, so you can have more confidence in drilling later. In Rothwell, [Lincolnshire] some of the best crops we have seen were drilled in September when people normally shut the door. With that hybrid vigour you can drill it at the normal time, or you can wait for the window to put it in in the right conditions. No matter how vigorous the variety, it will not survive being drilled into a dust bowl. Placed DAP is also a must-have from what I听have seen so far. It听is a high value crop now and needs treating as such rather than a break crop."听
听
Cutting costs without cutting corners
Ruth听Stanley, country听manager听at Life Scientific, who farms on heavy clays near the Vale of Belvoir dropped OSR from the rotation last year after writing off 40h听hectares听in 2020, but says she is considering reintroducing听it.听听
"It was previously a good crop for this farm. It听suited听the听rotation and workload and made best use of equipment听and storage.听
"We听have all got pound signs in our eyes, but for me it does听not听take away the risk听in getting OSR established.听The choice will be made as late as possible,听but it will be based on time of year, establishment and the weather forecast.听I would want to plant it early enough that if it听failed听I听would听still听have time to put something else in."听
To mitigate this risk听Mrs听Stanley听says there are听a number of听things people can do to reduce the cost.听
"It听is about听cutting听cost but not cutting corners. Everyone knows the importance of getting establishment right, but once that crop is in the ground you听have got to make sure it听is protected without spending too much money on it. On this farm, the legacy of our previously tight rotation of OSR and wheat means听I听have always struggled to control charlock. Here we听are a fan of听Clearfield听and we were early听adopters,听and we听continue to grow it as a good way to get on top of troublesome weeds. In terms of chemistry, to manage costs I听do听not听put a pre-em听on and听wait to see what would come out of the ground. As an early post-em听I听use a low dose of听metazachlor听and then go on with a Clearfield herbicide to manage broad-leaved weeds.听听
"Pyrethroids are worth trying for flea beetle control if there is no known resistance and pests are at threshold levels, but only spray once. If the听insecticide听does听not听work, do听not听repeat."听
For fungicides,听Mrs Stanley says the advantage of using听difenoconazole for听phoma听control is it can be听used as a split dose so not putting spend up front while听waiting to see the crop potential.听
