Oilseed rape

Precision seeding in oilseed rape offers advantages, but also requires adjustments to the cultivation system. For example, more soil space remains unused. This article shows how this space can be utilised ecologically and economically in a meaningful way by means of careful selection of specific companion crops.

The EU Commission is planning a significant reduction in crop protection products by 2030 and is increasingly restricting the use of chemical active ingredients. How can this task be fulfilled in the future? Two speakers at the DSV Agriculture Conference in December 2024, organised by Deutsche Saatveredelung AG (DSV), provided answers to this question.

What can I use companion crops for, what do they do and what do I have to consider when using them in my herbicide management? Prof Dr Verena Haberlah-Korr from the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences in Soest answers these questions in this article.

Establishing oilseed rape in an evergreen system, saving on nitrogen fertilisers and herbicides and promoting soil life: These goals were realised at the Merklingsen experimental farm of the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences in Soest by sowing oilseed rape with 45 cm row spacing in rolled cover crops and strip-till.

Half a decade ago, the slogan was: The oilseed rape should celebrate its birthday! A year should pass between sowing and harvesting. These and other statements are no longer entirely true today. What has changed in the battle for the best harvest dates between oil seed rape and wheat

The oilseed rape disease clubroot is a particular problem in the traditional oilseed rape growing areas in northern Germany. For this reason, clubroot-resistant varieties are grown on around 25 to 30 % of the oilseed rape area here. However, infested areas have been reported from other regions. The risk of spread increases with moist and warm conditions after sowing into autumn and winter. The clubroot resistance of the variety material is of decisive importance for economical oilseed rape cultivation on infected sites. Especially because there are new pathogens.

A critical look at the quality of a soil usually raises questions about the tillage practices and the optimal stubble management. After all, crops like oilseed rape are very vulnerable to any agronomic failings. Are a large number of lateral roots originating from the taproot an alarming sign? Which chop lengths ensure perfect incorporation? We should also discuss whether physical soil data can help predict and prevent inadequate root development and reveal how stubble length affects the quality of incorporation.

There are many reasons for growing companion crops in oilseed rape stands: they increase the biodiversity and humus contents and protect the soil from erosion and are beneficial for insects. Yet, how can growers reconcile the strategy of growing companion plants with that of using herbicides for controlling weeds and oilseed volunteers? To find an answer, the South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences in Soest, Germany researched into companion plant tolerances to herbicides.

Weather extremes are a challenge in many respects. For oilseed rape growers, the challenge is also to choose the proper variety, because this decision has a significant impact on the success of the crop and the field management throughout the year. In response to the changing conditions, breeders have been developing and selecting new varieties. The following article discusses the details and offers new insights and assistance in making the right choice.

The foundation for high oilseed rape yields is laid in autumn. This is general knowledge, but is it just a phrase or do oilseed rape growers really need to observe certain practices before and after drilling in order to raise their yields?

The German government‘s Arable Farming Strategy 2035 sets out the clear direction of future agricultural development: The use of pesticides is being reduced and restrictions will be placed on the use of fertilisers. The spotlight is turning to biodiversity and special recognition is given to soil fertility. 

Growing companion plants along with the main crop is an option that is being seriously considered by growers today. Companion plants play an important role that goes beyond increasing biodiversity in narrow crop rotations.

The drastic reduction of chemicals is a political topic today. Furthermore, an insect protection program is currently discussed in Germany which calls for the reduction of herbicides and insecticides by amending the regulation on the 
use of agro chemicals.

Can a poor performance of oilseed rape also be attributed to residues of herbicides that were applied to a previous grain crop? This is a legitimate question, especially when looking at pictures as the one below.

The current challenges facing the agricultural industry require all the components of successful oilseed rape cultivation to mesh together perfectly. Outstanding genetics must be complemented by an intelligent approach to cultivation and a tailored seed treatment strategy.

Companion planting is the practice of growing a secondary crop that dies off over winter alongside the main crop. The prime companion crops are legumes because of their many beneficial effects. The German Society for Conservation Tillage (Gesellschaft für konservierende Bodenbearbeitung (GKB) e.V.) has studied the effect of companion plants on winter rape in a three-year innovation project entitled “Cultivation of oilseed rape with companion plants in precision drilling and wide row planting regimes“. 

Microbial colonisation, micro-organic activity in the root area (rhizosphere) and the root itself (root microbiome) have a considerable effect on the supply of nutrients, the vitality and growth not only of oil seed rape but all plant species. But what exactly does this mean and how can growers promote this?

Some arable pests have developed resistances to pyrethroid-based insecticides as a result of years of indiscriminate use of such pesticides. The rape pollen beetle is just one oilseed rape pest that has been affected. Not only is this beetle now resistant to pyrethroids, it is also beginning to show resistance to neonicotinoids.

Drilling a companion crop or seed mixture alongside arable crops is nothing new. As yet however, this approach has not been widely used in traditional cropping and especially not in oilseed rape. Companion planting in OSR has two main objectives. The primary objective is to reduce nitrogen fertiliser inputs by using legumes to fix atmospheric nitrogen. The secondary objective focuses on repelling or distracting insect OSR pests.

Only a few weeks ago the situation facing the European oilseed rape market seemed hopeless. But this has now changed. Since hitting a low point on 17 January in Paris, oilseed rape futures for May delivery then rose by 15 €/t to 360 €/t, only to fall again to 348 €/t by mid-April. The positive signs stem from price developments on the soya bean market. Since the start of the year, May soya bean prices in Chicago have risen by 30 $/t to 385 $/t. The price of soya meal soared from 350 $/t to 420 $/t. At the same time, oilseed rape prices are being held back by the downturn in the vegetable oil market. The price of rapeseed oil has fallen by 90 €/t to 640 €/t since the start of the year. The trend reversal in the soya bean oil market is driven by the weather in South America, which has disrupted the growing season and harvest in Argentina and Brazil, and the possible trade dispute with China. The latest market factors and their impact on 
future price developments are discussed below.

There is widespread concern that the turnip yellows virus (TuYV) now poses a significant threat to oilseed rape crops. Yet TuYV is not a new phenomenon in winter oilseed rape cropping. When the viral infection strikes during the growing season and weather conditions are mild, as in 2016, it can cause stunted growth, resulting in low yields of seed and oil.

With agricultural markets exposed to the free play of supply and demand, oilseed rape prices are increasingly volatile. When planning a marketing strategy, the key question for farmers is: How do I know whether to sell or to stick? To answer this, you have to read the signs in the oilseed rape market and pay close attention to market trends.

In future, successful arable farming will increasingly maintain field hygiene and soil health through rotation planning rather than  focusing on individual crops. With approvals becoming more difficult to obtain for chemical dressings and sprays, the focus is being shifted to direct and selective control and integrated crop protection measures. This involves a new approach to the overall crop management that takes phytosanitary aspects into far greater account.

Winter rape cultivation over the last 45 years has been a success story on a par with breeding developments in maize and sugar beet. A crop born of necessity during wartime has been transformed into a sought-after oil crop by breeding out the erucic acids and glucosinolates. At the same time, the yields of modern hybrid winter rape varieties have been increasing at a rate that cereal growers can only dream of. This year, however, many farmers have been disappointed by the yields. What’s the 
reason for this decline?

Accounting for just under 60% of the total area under oilseed cultivation, oilseed rape is the most important oil crop in the EU-28. Despite a growing interest in soya beans, oilseed rape looks set to remain in number one position in the future. The use of GMO-free rapeseed meal in animal feed is a compelling argument in the European genetic engineering debate. A further point in favour of oilseed rape is the consistently high quality of meal and oil, as this engenders a high degree of acceptance and  appreciation on the part of purchasers. With a market share of over 40%, rapeseed oil is the bestselling oil in Germany.

Abiotic stress is caused by environmental factors such as frost, drought, heat, excess rainfall etc. which impede normal plant growth. The use of fertilisers and pesticides provides limited opportunities to relieve stress in oilseed rape. As the most important tolerance factors are embedded in the varieties themselves, this is where modern plant breeding has focused its search for solutions.

In view of the supply balance for oil seeds, many market operators have been surprised by the price rise. The reasons for the revised market assessment are described below.

Sclerotinia stem rot of oilseed rape (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) can cause heavy yield losses in affected years. Farmers therefore often turn to fungicides to combat this disease when the oilseed rape is in full flower, but this can create problems for beekeepers. 

The new German Fertiliser Ordinance has made nitrogen fixation an even more important issue than it was before. One method of reducing the potential for nitrate leaching is cultivating cover crops to follow on from rape. But as it is difficult to establish catch crops after oilseed rape undersown grass in rape may present an interesting option. Yet, this is not to be confused with intercropping oilseed rape and legumes.

This year’s oilseed rape harvest is considerably smaller due to the weather and the damage caused by the cabbage stem flea beetle and the cabbage root fly. The following article shows how the market will develop within the next few months, considering global developments of supply and demand.

Farm fertilisers represent an interesting opportunity to relieve the burden of fertiliser expenditure in the business. It can even be interesting for businesses with few or no animals to source organic fertilisers from livestock husbandry. The relatively high nutrient requirement of rape in autumn makes these plants ideal users of organic fertilisers.

“You reap what you sow” is the saying and there’s plenty of truth in that. Equally important is specific plant nutrition. There is a lot of guidance available for determining the optimal amount of the initial N-application in spring. In addition to the classical applications a new measure has become established – an assessment of the crop in autumn using Sensorscan. Then the farmer already knows in autumn where the emphases lie and can plan the fertilisation and plant protection measures appropriately.