BASF, Monsanto and Yara have developed a technical partnership to address some of the key challenges UK farmers face when growing oilseed rape. The three companies are launching the '3 x 3 Driving OSR forward' initiative to demonstrate the most effective management and agronomy via trials, open days and knowledge transfer.
Oilseed rape is a key crop for the UK agricultural industry, with a strong history and good potential to develop further. At the same time the technical environment is changing, with perhaps the greatest significant agronomic and legislative challenges the crop has ever faced.
Mark Tucker, Yara, Chief Agronomist-North East Europe points out that The HGCA Report 502 and the HGCA Oilseed Guide, updated in January 2014, highlighted a number of issues or uncertainties around varietal choice, fertiliser use, rotations and crop protection. “It stated that there was around a 3t/ha yield gap between the current varietal potential and farm yields. 5-6 t/ha yields are being achieved in isolated fields or blocks, so it is possible. The Report also quotes “To restore rising yields in the face of warmer conditions, economic or environmental pressures and evolving weeds, pests or disease threats, a more holistic approach to agronomy is needed.”
Mark explains that with the three partner's strengths in crop protection, plant breeding and plant nutrition, the 3 x 3 Initiative aims to utilise the teams' extensive know-how and resources to help provide solutions to meet these challenges in a holistic way. Based on the key farm drivers of yield, profit and sustainability, the partnership will focus on two key pillars; good management and the need for a sustainable approach. “The initial work concentrates on ensuring early rapid establishment and the management of rapid autumn growth.”
Kuldip Mudhar, Germplasm Advancement Manager for the breeder Monsanto, emphasizes the importance of good establishment and the current agronomic trends for rape varieties, many of which focus on this aspect. “Currently hybrids account for 54% of the UK market, the trend towards hybrids is helped by high output varieties that exploit hybrid vigour. Modern hybrids have become increasingly valued for their ability to develop strongly ahead of winter. Some hybrids are noticeably more vigorous in their establishment than others. These hybrids have the ability to establish robust, well-rooted plants with a good tap root, are best able to cope with challenging UK conditions and can minimize the risk from flea beetle and slugs, thereby maximizing successful establishment under difficult conditions.”
Kuldip points out that DEKALB double Phoma resistance provides durable protection against Phoma stem canker which starts in the autumn and can be very yield damaging. “This coupled with DEKALB light leaf spot resistance provides a robust disease resistance package which gives flexibility and confidence to the grower. In addition DEKALB pod shatter resistance provides genetic resistance that minimizes yield loss and volunteer issues caused by seed-shedding just before and during harvest. Continued agronomic research will focus on the efficiency of varietal performance under constrained resources i.e. nitrogen and water availability,” he says.
Mark Tucker of Yara concurs that better establishment is the key for success in oilseed rape, yet he reports autumn nutrition becoming less popular due to NVZ and other legislation as well as lack of conclusive evidence. “Both the percentage of area treated and the application rate of nitrogen used in the autumn has declined over recent years. Around 32% of the rape crop received autumn nitrogen in 2013, whereas in 1985 it was close to 90%. We now have new, positive evidence to show that autumn Nitrogen really helps establishment and its use represents a 3 to 1 return on investment, based on current yields and prices.”
“Currently 72% of the rape area receives Sulphur, where as we would advise 80 to 90% should be receiving it. Once again more up-to-date data shows over 3 times return when you apply 69 kgs/ha of Sulphur - so for every £1 you spend, you will get £3.22 back. This new evidence indicates no need to change the amount of Sulphur applied, but demonstrates that two applications give the best yield response. In trials when 60 kg/ha of SO³ was applied little and often, it gave an extra yield of 0.5 t/ha,” he says.
He also reports that 70 to 80% of the UK crop is deficient of micronutrients especially Boron. “Boron is necessary for shoot and root development, yet 60% of rape crops will not get any treatment. Our trials show a 7 to 11% yield increase.”
William Reyer, BASF, Marketing Manager, Field Crops has studied seeding rates and tilling as part of good establishment. “In the past we were talking of drilling kgs/ha of seed. But now we speak of seed per metre squared, wide rows of 0.5 m plus and companion planting. As for tilling, in the past it was deep ploughing followed by harrowing, but now most farmers have a single-pass system, meaning they can conserve moisture and produce a much finer seedbed, essential for good establishment and herbicide performance. Growers are choosing cultivation equipment to provide a good seeding zone, essential for establishment.”
“With the aim of getting the crop away quickly and evenly, good soil conditions are vital. There needs to be a good crumb structure with a gradual change down the soil profile so that the soil almost acts like a sponge,” he advises.
Will reports that the trend for weed control in rape has moved from a basic pre-emergence to a broad-spectrum, more consistent, pre-em or early post-em herbicide such as Shadow or Springbok. “Trials show significant yield can be saved by using early applications. Using a low seed rate (50 seeds/m² for the OP Castille or 30 seeds/m² for the hybrid Excalibur), early weed removal could result in a mean yield increase of 2.3 t/ha. For higher seed rates, the extra yield for early weed removal is 1.1 t/ha.”
Will Reyer also explains that there are now exciting new possibilities to manage difficult weeds and improve grain quality using the Clearfield system.
Will says that the 3x3 Initiative trials and open days will focus on two farm-based trials sites - Perdiswell Farm, near Woodstock (James Price) and Leverton Farms, Burton, near Lincoln (Terry Metson) – reflecting the different conditions and challenges of OSR production across the country. “The three companies will work closely together, under the 3x3 banner, to evaluate the most effective management and agronomy over the growing season.”
