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Know How / Oilseed rape / Crop management

Once it’s up and away, oilseed rape needs careful management and the right nutrition throughout the growing season to ensure it fulfills its potential. See what can be done to maximise output, put a lid on growing costs and keep the crop photosynthesising as it reaches maturity and fills its seeds.

Case studies

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CROP MANAGEMENT

How Lincs grower reclaimed world record oilseed rape yield

Lincolnshire grower Tim Lamyman has reclaimed the world record oilseed rape yield, with a staggering 7.71t/ha crop. The record-breaking yield came during one of the driest growing seasons, where Tim…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Wilts OSR grower reveals lessons from sheep grazing trials

If the timing is right, grazing oilseed rape with sheep in the autumn can improve crop evenness and deliver yield benefits, according to one Wiltshire farmer. At East Farm near…

COVER CROPS

How Arable Insights farmers are using cover crops in rotation

Whether it is to increase soil organic matter, provide grazing for sheep, prevent nutrients from leaching, or deliver extra income within the rotation, cover cropping has become a key part…

OILSEED RAPE

Oilseed rape grower sees helping hand from SFI

Hampshire oilseed rape grower Dick Hall is earning £369/ha from environmental payments, allowing the crop to rival winter wheat for profitability and making rapeseed the best break crop he can…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How integrating livestock in rotations cuts crop inputs

As sustainable farming practices become increasingly important, some agronomists and farmers are exploring how integrating livestock into arable systems can bring both environmental and economic benefits. By combining rotational grazing…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How 14 family business partners run a 1,600ha mixed farm

Whyte Bros Farm, north of Dublin, operates a unique farming system, with 14 family business partners running the 1,600ha farm. The collaborative journey began in the 1950s when seven brothers…

Practical advice

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PEST MANAGEMENT

10-point plan to beat flea beetle in oilseed rape

Oilseed rape growers are being urged to follow a 10-point plan to limit damage from cabbage stem flea beetles, with the most important factor being choosing a drilling date. AHDB's…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Advice on gaining a clear picture of soil nitrogen levels

With some uncertainty about how much residual nitrogen is in soils, growers are being urged to consider getting fields tested ahead of early fertiliser applications.  Hutchinsons fertiliser and crop nutrition specialist Rob Jewers says there are two…

PEST MANAGEMENT

OSR growers advised to tackle CSFB with early nutrition

Oilseed rape growers are advised to apply a nitrogen-sulphur combination, once conditions allow, to boost spring growth and strengthen defences against pests like cabbage stem flea beetle. Will Oliver, Warwickshire…

OILSEED RAPE

OSR growers advised to apply PGR to very forward crops

Oilseed rape growers are being advised to apply a plant growth regulator (PGR) to some of the most forward OSR crops seen, in order to maximise yields and crop resilience.…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Cereals 2025: Top 10 strategies to tackle flea beetle

A list of the top 10 strategies to tackle the critical cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) pest in oilseed rape crops has been released to help reverse the fortunes of…

HARVEST AND CROP STORAGE

What's in your grain store? Tackling pests before harvest

It is estimated that 90% of grain stores harbour at least one insect species known to infest grain, underlining the critical importance of good store hygiene in the run-up to…

Insights

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CROP MANAGEMENT

How climate change is reshaping agronomy

Evidence from long-term trial data and climate modelling shows that warmer summers, wetter winters and more extreme weather events are affecting yield reliability, disease pressure and pest risk. The key…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

4 new nitrogen management technologies and how they work

Several firms across Europe are developing and launching new technologies for measuring the nitrogen requirements of arable crops. Improving nitrogen use efficiency has both environmental and economic advantages for farmers;…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Tips on cutting through the marketing hype for biostimulants

After a season when crops gave up in the summer drought, farmers may be tempted to try a biostimulant to help crops cope better next time. Some products can deliver…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Why high spring biomass is a key weapon against flea beetle

Oilseed rape growers choosing the right variety and opting to drill the crop slightly later this year could face far fewer problems as the crop develops, and benefit from higher…

WEED MANAGEMENT

Why propyzamide use in OSR and beans remains in the balance

Delivering best practice for successful weed control with propyzamide while preventing it from entering water courses and reservoirs remains a difficult balance. What’s good for weed control frequently increases the…

PEST MANAGEMENT

What first OSR to mitigate flea beetle means for growers

A hybrid oilseed rape that has been bred with resilience against cabbage stem flea beetle could make the difference between crop success and failure when deployed as part of an…

OILSEED RAPE

Analysis: Signs of cautious optimism for oilseed rape?

After another challenging growing season and a further 17% fall in area, the UK’s winter oilseed rape crop for harvest 2025 is the smallest since 1983. Higher risk, lower reward…

OILSEED RAPE

Flea beetle and herbicide benefits of OSR and companion crops

Trials investigating the role of oilseed rape companion crops to deter cabbage stem flea beetle and minimise herbicide losses have revealed benefits of using berseem clover and buckwheat. The trials…

DRILLING

Which IPM options are best to manage CSFB?

With no single chemical or cultural approach that reliably manages cabbage stem flea beetle numbers, control requires a combination of techniques to suppress populations of the pest. But with dozens…

OILSEED RAPE

Should growers persevere with OSR despite challenges?

The AHDB has estimated a near 30% drop in the UK oilseed rape area compared to 2023, making it the UK’s smallest crop for 40 years – at 280,000ha. With…

PEST MANAGEMENT

How harvest cultivations can help beat flea beetle in OSR

Shallow cultivations carried out shortly after the combine can help reduce adult flea beetle populations, but more research is needed to refine advice to growers. Speaking at a recent Limagrain…

OTHER CROPS

How to get the best out of IPM3 companion cropping in SFI

Companion cropping is perhaps one of the easier options to include in Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) agreements, particularly if you’re growing oilseed rape or perhaps maize, or for an end…

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