Brotherton SMART Farm Observations
of Winter Oilseed Rape Plots
IIntroduction Another 12
months have elapsed since I
first shared my observations on
the OSR crop. What a difference
a year can make! With the
advent of bio-diesel and bio-
energy production becoming
more of a reality, the erection
of biofuel manufacturing plants
and government legislation on
renewableenergy,itisparamount
that we can achieve average
yields similar to our European
neighbours. The research and
development generated in the
crop by Masstock has created
interest to over 5000 growers
at a series of meetings across
the country at various SMART
development farms. We have
introduced of The Best of British
Oilseeds (BoBO) project including
a series of 6 ha plots of Excalibur
drilled around UK to highlight new
OSR management approaches.
The work at Brotherton for
2005/6 has concentrated on
the development of root and
aerial biomass in relationship
to plant population and Green
Area Index and also continuing
the observations of the leaf
developmentrateoffurther
varieties. We have also
incorporated with the
help of Opico a series
of large establishment
plots with the variety
Excalibur at 60 seeds/
sq.mtomonitordifferent
root structures, growth
habits, final plant
populations and yeilds.
I thought I would open by reminding ourselves
of the cycle of winter oilseed rape which
lasts about 320 days, comprising:-
� The autumnal stage from sowing to early
winter. This stage is critical for leaf and
root development. Floret initiation and
therefore yield potential also takes place in
this phase.
� The vegetative rest period, lasting about 2
� 3 months according to region and ends when
the daily average temperature is regularly 5�C.
� Vegetative regrowth to flowering, lasting
about 2 months and defined by a very active
accumulation of dry matter. This is the
essential period for the absorption of mineral
elements. Leaf development and leaf per unit
of soil area (GAI) are key factors in determining
yield.
� Flowering to podding (about
220 days after sowing). This
stage can last for about
3 weeks and is marked
by high competition
for C supply between
different types of
organs (flowers
on the main stem,
newly forming
young pods and
seeds in pods).
� The pod
� filling period,
when the 1000
seed weight is
determined. At maturity the total biomass
production can reach 12-14 t/ha, of which
about 30% is in the seeds, 40% in pod walls
and peduncles, 20% in stems and 10% in
roots.
Plant density: 35 to 50 per sq m (the risk of
lodging increases considerably with plant
density above 70 per sq m.
The yield is unaffected by row spacing within
the range 17cm (small grain drill) to 40cm
(high-precision drill).
Establishment
Again I must emphasise like last year, the
three important factors which must always
be remembered in establishing any crop - the
seedbed must be firm, fine and moist, with
good seed to soil contact and the soil allows
water infiltration through the soil profile. Work
carried out at Silsoe on crumb structure:-
---- Crumb structure above 25 mm --- 5% OSR
germination
---- Crumb structure below 17mm --- 85% OSR
germination
The photograph below demonstrates the
effect of what poor soil structure can have on
the establishment of oilseed rape:
This is one of my bones of contention of the
"autocast" technique; it satisfies none of
the criteria of soil conditions ideal for good
establishment of a crop. It may be a low cost
establishment of rape in today's climate but
often suffers from inconsistent results and
falls into the typical average yield bracket.
Would you perform this procedure with any
other valuable crop? Probably stubble turnips
for sheep! I am pleased to see that autocast is
losing some favour to seeding/sub-soiling on
some of the more difficult soils.
The soil type of the field used at Brotherton
for the variety evaluations was a clay loam
with the previous crop being second winter
wheat. The field was sub-soiled directly after
combining and the cultivations were a series
of discing and rolling to conserve moisture
and mix the chopped straw. All the plots were
drilled with the power harrow drill combination
on the 23rd August and emerged on the 28th
August.
From the various meetings and discussions
with growers on heavy soils who were
experiencing difficulties in establishing the
crop, I looked at the establishment of OSR in
conjunction with Opico, with two different
methods � sub-soil/seeding and disc/heavy
press, compared to the traditional farm
operations of discing followed by the power
harrow drill combination.
SUBSOIL DISC/HEAVY PRESS
The row widths on the subsoil were 50cm (20")
with seed delivered directly behind the leg of
the subsoil, whereas the disc/ press, the seed
was spread over the working width of the
machine.
Observations were carried out on the various
plots throughout the growing period
measuring root mass and plants per square
metre.
It is obvious from the above photographs; very
good root structure was obtained by the
subsoil method.
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