United Kingdom
September 9, 2024
Reduced disease pressure resulting in average yield increases of between 0.5 to 0.8t/ha been seen in trials drilling where oilseed rape was drilled into September, says DSV oil crops product management lead Simon Kröger.
High vigour hybrid genetics in varieties like DSV Duplo and Dolphin add significantly greater security to later drilling situations with positive results seen when crops are sown as late as the third week of September, he explains.
“Our trials have shown modern varieties need 600 day degrees to produce eight pairs of well develop leaves before winter.
“In East Germany this was achieved with drilling by September 16th and in the West of France it possible with crops sown as late as 25th of September.
“In such situations, three years of trials across seven different locations showed a yield response of 0.5 – 0.8 t/ha for these crops compared to the earlier drilled ones in the trials.
“While conditions in France and Germany were not identical to the UK over the years of the trials, they were similar so, so this suggests it is possible to drill safely into September and there are several advantages associated with this.
“Flea beetle pressure is lower at these times, there is often more soil moisture available and a good hybrid will be able to grow away from any disease or pest pressure.”
Rapid establishment
DSV hybrids are particularly strong in this area with the latest genetics especially developed to achieve rapid establishment, he points out.
“DSV Duplo shows particularly rapid establishment, even in very late drilled situations, with a growth habit that keeps cotyledons close to the ground and a rapid increase in leaf area and ground cover before effectively ‘switching off’.
“DSV Dolphin is another high yielding variety with very similar vigour and early growth properties but with the added benefit of DSV’s new PowerfulPods technology to minimise seed loss later in the season and at harvest.
“Strong early growth is particularly important in September drilling as poor root development will reduce yields and plants that don’t establish quickly are susceptible to pest attack.
“Good ground cover deters pigeons from landing and early vigour helps the plant grow through attack by pests including slugs.
“But too much subsequent growth allows the pests back in and gives problems with crops being too forward through the winter.
“So, you need rapid establishment in the first 30 days and then a period of relative dormancy followed by high vigour again in the spring. Those are very much the growth characteristics of the latest DSV hybrids.”
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