‘Don’t overlook spring oilseed rape this year’

Strong prices and lower growing costs mean spring oilseed rape is capable of delivering a healthy margin this year.

A shortage of UK-grown rape and the need for growers to find profitable options to cereals in the rotation are creating a growing interest in the crop, says Sarah Hawthorne, of breeders DSV.

“The variable establishment that can be seen in challenging autumn and winter conditions are obviously avoided and with a realistic yield target of 3.0t/ha, good returns are possible.”

DSV has been breeding spring oilseed rape since the early 1970s and says it is continuously adding value to the crop. The latest genetics offer not just high outputs and quality potential, but good levels of resilience, too.

UK performance

The UK range yields as high as 103% of controls with three Clearfield varieties, says Ms Hawthorne.

“DSV has been particularly successful in developing varieties that deliver consistently high yields in the shorter growing period available.

“As well as focusing on varieties that deliver high yields and oil contents, we are working on more robust plant types that are more resilient against biotic and abiotic stress.”

With the introduction of its new Clearfield hybrid Cocktail CL, DSV now has five of the six varieties on the 2025 AHDB Descriptive List for spring oilseed rape – and remains firmly committed to the crop, says Ms Hawthorne.

DSV Contra CL, Cocktail CL and Crazy CL are all varieties tolerant to imidazolinone herbicides making them valuable tools for weed control in the rotation with all capable of delivering respectable yields and oil contents, as well.

DSV Crazy also has clubroot resistance. DSV Lakritz, which joined the DL in 2021, remains the highest yielding of all spring sown OSR varieties, closely followed by DSV Lumen.

Management

Sowing of oilseed rape should be carried out in the best conditions possible to ensure rapid and even emergence, expalins Ms Hawthorne.

“It is always better to wait for optimum seedbed conditions rather than sowing early.”

Spring rape develops less branches than winter sown so a higher plant density is advised with a target of 60-80 seeds/m² but this will depend on soil conditions and sowing date.

“Spring rape can be drilled from mid-March to mid-April with a firm, moist seedbed preferable. Wet and cold land should be cultivated to ensure that the topsoil can warm up and dry before being drilled.

“An early nitrogen application of 80-100kg/ha is advised soon after sowing and this should be followed by a further 40kg/ha at stem elongation.”

Weed and insect control are areas where particular care is needed too, says Ms Hawthorne.

Good option

“Generally, the same herbicides used for winter oilseed rape are suitable and for fields with high volunteer pressure or difficult to manage weeds, new Cocktail CL would be a good option.

“Insect pests are the most difficult to manage problem in spring oilseed rape. Cabbage flea beetles must be monitored after sowing.

“Their feeding damage can look similar to cabbage stem flea beetles so you need to be careful.

Pollen beetle can be an issue and growers should be on the lookout for these as soon as buds become visible, adds Ms Hawthorne.

“Pollen beetle are a bigger threat to spring sown crops than winter ones as the beetles migrate to the spring crops after the winter crops have flowered, so you must remain vigilant and take appropriate action where needed.”