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These
are indeed changing times in Agriculture. Farm
profits are gradually being eroded, and important
strategic economic decisions have to be made when
deciding on the enterprise that returns the biggest
margin per acre to its grower. The uncertainty in
the crude oil and sugar beet industry has refocused
attention on the growing of oil seed rape as a
renewable energy source.
O.S.R is not a particularly difficult crop to grow;
however yields are sensitive to nitrogen and sulphur
deficiencies.
Seed Selection
As with wheat and barley, variety selection is the
key. 0.1 tonne/acre differential in yield will
reduce the bottom line by €30/acre, when rape is
priced at €300/T.
The top varieties this year are:
(1) NK Bravour
(2) Astrid
(3) Castille
(4) Lionness
(5) Winner
The ideal plant population is 40-60 plants/m2. Too
many plants result in poor branch development,
weaker straw and poor yields. The ideal sowing rate
is (4 - 5kg/ha).
Autumn Management
Having successfully sown the crop, there are a
number of management steps that should be addressed
in the Autumn.
Nutrition
Sulphur (S) and Boron (Bo) are both required for
healthy crops and 50 units/acre of sulphur should be
applied during the year. Boron should be sprayed on
if not included with the fertiliser.
Herbicide Programmes and Broad Leaf Weed Control
There are a wide range of chemicals that can be used
on the crop, with both pre and post emergence
activity. Trifluralin (Treflan) Metazchlor (Butisan
S) and Propazimide (Kerb Flo) combinations will
control the majority of weeds present. Dow Shield
has a full recommendation on O.S.R., controlling
thistle, pansies, mayweed etc. It is used in a tank
mix for a specific range of weeds.
Grass Weed Control
Where Kerb Flo (Propazimide) has not been applied it
may be
necessary to apply a gramminacide such as falcon,
co-pilot etc…
Pest Control
Slug control is a standard treatment using any one
of the following - Draza, Metarex, Genesis. Crops
should also be carefully monitored for flee beetle
damage, and symptoms appear as a “shot gun’’ effects
on the leaves.
Disease Control
The two main diseases of O.S.R are phoma (which
causes a leaf spot or stem canker) and light leaf
spot (LLS). Both of these diseases are significant
in their own right and they can result in yield
losses of circa 0.7t/ha (sources DEFRA and HGCA).
Optimum spraying time is mid-October to
mid-November, before the disease becomes developed.
Most cost effective treatments include Contrast or
Punch C. Caramba also exhibits P.G.R activity (plant
growth regulation)
Typical O.S.R Timetable
(1) Variety selection August
(2) 15th August-15th September, plough, till and
sow, seeding rate 4.5 kg/ha, metarex slug pellets
applied at 6.5kg/ha (6Ibs/acre)
(3) 1st-15h November, weed control, Kerb Flo at 0.9-
1.75L/ha and contrast at 0.3L/ha and Bortrac at
2L/ha
(4) 15th November apply 400kg/ha 0-7-30
(5) 15th-30th February 37.5 kg/ha nitrogen + 7%
sulphur
(6) 20th March 460kg/ha nitrogen + 7% sulphur, 1-15
acres
(7) T2 Fungicide, 0.2L/ha Contrast, 0.5L/ha MBC,
11/2L/ha Bortrac
(8) T3 Fungicide (90% Retalfacc), 0.9L/ha foliar +
0.1L/ha Fastac
(9) Desiccation, Roundup at 2.7L/ha
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