CPM Editor, Tom Allen Stevens, reports on how maximising pod potential is the key to building yield in oilseed rape, and why applying Amistar to the crop at flowering gives it every chance to achieve it.

Read his full report here:

Reproduced with courtesy of CPM

In the Research Briefing, Dr Jörg Leipner, Syngenta’s scientific specialist in abiotic stress management, based at the company’s research centre at Stein in Switzerland, explains that, in addition to control of the late foliar diseases that kill off leaves early, Amistar is working inside the leaf to offset the effects of natural environmental stresses on the plant that cause premature senescence.

"Amistar significantly enhances activity in leaves to suppress damaging superoxide radical accumulation in leaf tissue," he says, "which can help the plant resist the effects of physical biotic and abiotic stresses, such as of drought, heat or nutrients, for example."

James Southgate, Syngenta Field Technical Manager, adds that, in the field, it’s the green leaf growers should look to preserve.

“In years with a high sclerotinia incidence, there’s a considerable yield benefit from applying Amistar during flowering, as you’d expect. But we’ve found a yield over untreated of at least 0.3t/ha even in years with a low disease pressure,” he notes. In ADAS trials crops treated with 1 l/ha of Amistar at flowering experienced a prolonged greening effect –– as much as 0.5 GAI a month after the end of flowering. 

“An application of Amistar at yellow bud to early flowering is the best timing to prolong the green leaf area," advises James.

"But recently, sclerotinia pressure has tended to increase later in the season with applications at mid flowering giving the best disease control.

“You’ll still get the greening effect at the later timing, although to a lesser degree on leaves. Field trials have shown the improved plant health it brings also helps combat the effects of verticillium wilt.”