A range of high yielding oilseed rapes with added agronomic functionality will be showcased by seed breeders DSV UK at Cereals 2019.

One of the key features will be DSV’s new Turnip Yellow Virus (TuYV) resistant oilseed rape variety Temptation which has one of the strongest all-round production and agronomic packages in the new 2019/20 AHDB RL.

Turnip Yellows Virus (TuYV) – originally thought to be insignificant, this virus is now spreading at lightning speed across Europe’s oilseed rape fields, reports German plant breeding company Deutsche Saatveredelung AG (DSV). Transmitted by aphids, the virus causes damage to plants that is difficult to detect and results in yield losses of up to 30%.  The only effective measure is to grow resistant varieties of oilseed rape.

Rapeseed is the third mostly grown oilseed in the world, while today it is still a niche crop in South American countries and not known by many farmers. Nevertheless, oilseed rape fits perfectly to the conditions in most countries in the southern hemisphere and it offers a huge potential for farmers due to the high profits. It also helps to diversify the crop rotation and improves soil fertility.

DSV is currently participating in an innovative new research programme from the European Union aimed at fostering scientific partnerships between academia and industry. This programme, entitled PlantHUB - Boosting technology transfer and responsible research and innovation in plant sciences, is funded from the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme and gives ten doctoral students the opportunity to organize their research projects evenly between an academic and industrial partner.

The record temperatures above 30 degrees in the summer 2018 were a tough test for all turfgrass areas. The damages of these areas range from small spots to large-scale burned areas. Is it possible that turfgrass regenerates itself after such extreme damages?