sponsored by - cpm magazine · 2016-12-05 · success from your oilseed crop, that we’ve put...

Sponsored by

It’s a very British thing to put the boot into a once successful venture that’s fallen on hard times, and it’s probably not something we should be proud of.

Tesco has recently borne the brunt of this scorn. We forget it’s a remarkably successful British business, a source of convenient, cheap food for millions, and probably responsible for selling a fair proportion of

the food crops produced by everyone reading this. We remember only the staggering size of Tesco’s£6.4 billion loss.

Likewise, oilseed rape is currently getting a good kicking. The fact that it’s still the most profitable breakcrop, spreading workloads and easing cashflows, hasbeen forgotten. It’s no longer championed as the crop toclear blackgrass, with a root that leaves a fertile tilth forwheat and a product that can power a car or enrich agourmet salad.

Instead it’s the bee-killer, heaving with new-found diseases. It keeps the sprayer tied up and requires heapsof costly inputs before you’ve even seen a crop, and thenthese make their way into drains and get you into troublewith the local water authority. And now, the price has tumbled below a miserable £250/t.

Well just stop. It’s also a hugely rewarding crop –– that price is still up to two and a half times what youmay get for wheat. It’s a crop of mystery –– there’s stillmuch to learn about how to build its root, structure thecanopy and fill those pods.

And it’s in search of those secrets, that’ll bring yousuccess from your oilseed crop, that we’ve put togetherthis supplement with the help of our sponsors. We’vestarted with cultivations, and a tool that’s been designedspecifically around OSR’s agronomic requirements.

We’ve looked at the traits to seek out in varieties that deliver not just the headline yield, but the growthcharacteristics and resilience that are required fromtoday’s OSR crop. Get the nutrition right and you canunlock that yield potential, so we’ve explored how.

Increasingly important is weed control, and blackgrassin particular –– we’ve gathered advice on how to keepOSR as a cleaning crop and retain its value in the rotation. And we’ve been to Norfolk to see a growercum agronomist who carefully plans how to put all this together.

So quit moaning about the crop and give it a break (if you’ll pardon the pun). If you’re honest, the reasonyou’re so ready to deride OSR is probably because it frustratingly keeps a few secrets from you. Well read on,because we think we’ve uncovered a few.

Tom Allen-Stevens has a 170ha arable farm in Oxonthat’s actually quite profitable in comparison to someBritish retail businesses.

[email protected]

Are we quick to scorn?

TalkingTilthA word from the editor.

The new way is to Wing itAgronomy is increasingly driving machinery designin a bid to increase growers’ armoury againstweeds and pests.

Margin squeeze prompts varietyrethinkWith costs rising and returns under pressure, has the definition of a performance oilseed rape variety changed?

Tailored nutrition for a bumper cropOilseed rape margins have been particularly tight inrecent years, so aligning crop nutrition to maximiseyields without wasting precious fertiliser is vital.

OSR remains valuable anti-blackgrassweaponDespite a slump in profitability, oilseed rape has a vitalrole as a rotational break crop.

Careful planning ensures a clean cropFrom cultivations to herbicide use and nutrition,Norfolk grower Alex Wilcox has a disciplinedapproach to his oilseed rape management thatretains the crop’s value in the rotation.

Special CPM Supplement

May 20152

4

6

10

12

14

Editorial & Advertising SalesWhite House Barn, Hanwood, Shrewsbury,Shropshire. SY5 8LP

Tel: (01743) 861122E-mail: [email protected]

[email protected]

Advertising CopyBrooks Design, 24 Claremont Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. SY1 1RD

Tel: (01743) 244403E-mail: [email protected]

CPM Editorial, advertising and sales offices are at White House Barn, Hanwood, Shrewsbury SY5 8LP. Tel: (01743) 861122. CPM is published ten times a year by CPM Ltd and is available free of charge to qualifying farmers

and farm managers in the United Kingdom.

In no way does CPM Ltd endorse, notarise or concur with any of the advice, recommendations or prescriptions reported in the magazine. If you are unsure about which recommendations to follow, please consult a professional agronomist. Always read thelabel. Use pesticides safely. CPM Ltd is not responsible for loss or damage to any unsolicited material, including photographs.

Editor Tom Allen-Stevens

Sub Editor Charlotte Lord

Writers Tom Allen-StevensAndrew BlakeJane BrownEmily Padfield

Design and Production Brooks Design

Publisher Angus McKirdy

2 cpm magazine successful OSR

Agronomy is increasingly driving machinery design in a bid to increase growers’armoury against weeds andpests. CPM looks at one agronomy/manufacturer partnership that has grown in strength over the past few years.

By Emily Padfield

The new way isto Wing it

We needed to design a machinefrom scratch to testthe theories that the

data was pointing us to.”

“


When Hutchinsons’ technical managerDick Neale decided to incorporate culturalcontrol methods into trials at the NationalBlackgrass Centre of Excellence nearBrampton, Cambs, he started to lookaround to see what cultivators suited his basic requirements.

Initially, the hard-and-fast driver was purely blackgrass, he explains. “At our trial site at Brampton we saw that cultivation type had a huge impact on theprevalence of blackgrass in the subsequent crop.

“We assessed what types of cultivators were alreadyon the market and couldn’t see a machine that worked tothe required depths and delivered the level of consolidationthat we thought could tackle the blackgrass problem.

“The disc-based machines, although a popular choiceof equipment, clearly weren’t working when it came totackling the blackgrass issue. They struggle to penetratehard, dry clays in Aug and can smear damp soils, leadingto poor surface drainage, a key feature needed to allowdelayed sowing.

“We needed to design a machine from scratch to test the theories that the data was pointing us to.”

It was then that Hutchinsons joined forces with Cambsmachinery manufacturer Cousins of Emneth to identifythe role of cultivations in both the cultural control ofblackgrass and the long-term improvement in soil healthand organic matter levels.

“The Achilles heel was always when wheat followed a

dirty oilseed rape crop,” Dick Neale recalls.“In a wheat/OSR rotation, a high seed return from the

winter OSR crop cannot be tolerated. Dow AgroScienceskept assuring us that Kerb (propyzamide) had no resistance problems, yet we still had a problem with blackgrass not being killed after application.”

But the problem wasn’t resistance –– Kerb is onlyactive in the top 5cm of the soil profile, he points out.

Herbicide efficacy“The depth of establishment cultivation for the OSR crophas a huge impact on the following herbicide efficacy. For example, if you plant using a subsoiler, even when low disturbance wings are fitted, it follows that blackgrasscan root faster and deeper into the soil profile, resulting inchemical control methods not being as effective as theycould be.”

“In short, sub-casting makes OSR happy, but oftenputs blackgrass out of reach of Kerb,” he says.

The first machine borne out of the Hutchinsons/Cousinscollaboration was the Micro-Wing, which featured theMicro-Wing point, designed to create less soil disturbancethan standard subsoiling points and also demand lesspower to pull, explains Dick Neale.

As the wing travels through the soil at 50-75mm depthit creates the seedbed using only the natural surface tilth.The zonal roller following the tine stands the soil back upand moulds it over the seed. In effect it’s sowing in a consolidated mound, which means the seed establishes

a good root structure without resistance via the preservedsoil galleries and worm burrows, says Dick Neale.

The Cousins Micro-Wing adopts the principles of theoriginal V-Form design, allowing growers to fit a disc, legand roller kit to existing machines.

“Less is more when it comes to managing a blackgrass problem and the Micro-Wing moves just 20%of surface soil. We started off working at 100mm depth,but now we recommend a working depth of just 63mm.

“The Micro-Wing is a drill and fits well into currentcultivation strategies. Having dug plenty of soil pits tounderstand what’s happening below the seedbed, wenoticed some key issues. Increasingly, modern drillingtechniques only result in compaction or soil problems in the top 50mm, which the Micro-Wing rectifies well.”

A development of the Micro-Wing OSR establishmentsystem –– the Double Depth Leg –– was designed initially for strip-tilling sugar beet two years ago. But itsrole as an establishment method for forage maize andOSR is becoming more evident, reckons Dick Neale.

“It continues the focus on controlling blackgrass andother weeds while promoting high crop yield, all at aprice that makes strip-till affordable for all growers,” he says.

Each leg unit consists of a double socket format intowhich a leading Micro-Wing tine is fitted. This creates theseeding zone as before, but is followed by a secondwingless bar point running directly in-line with the fronttine. The depth of the rear tine can be adjusted from200mm (7.8 inches) to 350mm (14 inches).

Together these create a ‘V’ shaped cultivated zone ofsoil 100mm wide at the soil surface that allows the sugar

Designed initially for strip-tilling sugar beet, theDouble Depth Leg makes strip-till affordable forOSR and forage maize growers.

The Micro-Wing (left) sows into a consolidatedmound, moving just 20% of the soil surface,which causes fewer weeds to germinate.

The award-winning Surface moves the full widthto a 50mm depth and needs just 30-50hp/m topull it.

.“What we’ve discovered is that by working at a shallow depth, the RB209 autumn recommendations do require an overhaul in some cases,” says Dick Neale.

When using establishment techniques thatmove a lot of soil, a significant amount of N, Pand K are mineralised throughout the workedsoil profile. However, in 2014, where yields inexcess of 12t/ha were achieved, there’s very little nitrogen left in the upper soil zone.

“OSR is very sensitive to fertiliser availability inthe seedbed, so the placement of a fertiliser atplanting is important when reduced soil movementestablishment techniques are practised.”

The same goes for cover crops, he adds,such as mustard, phacelia and radish.

“It takes a slightly different management technique, that’s all. By taking shallow soil samples, it’s possible to establish how muchnitrogen is available at drilling. Obviously it’s onlylegally possible to apply 30kgN/ha in the autumn,but by targeting fertiliser at the same time asdrilling, there’s no need to exceed this.”

Cereals are nowhere near as sensitive to theamount of nitrogen available, and often the stubble contains the amount required at drilling.

“I favour micro granular N and P fertiliser via a simple application unit mounted on theMicro-Wing to deliver both seed and fertiliserdown the same tube,” Dick Neale explains.“But the same units can be used to apply straight granular urea.

With very little nitrogen left in the upper soilzone, Dick Neale recommends using starterfertiliser when reduced soil movementestablishment techniques are practised.

Fertiliser recommendations require ongoing review

beet tuber to form a clean, smooth-sided taproot that’seasily extracted by harvesting equipment.

“A 100mm strip to run in is more than sufficient forsugar beet and maize precision seeders. Moving less soilrequires less power input and leaves lighter, blowing soilsmore stable with intact stubble reducing the need for barley nurse crops allowing for significant cost savings,”says Dick Neale.

It’s important to point out that this rear leg isn’tdesigned as a subsoiler, he adds. “It’s a low disturbanceleg that minimises soil movement and doesn’t result insoil heaving or boiling up to the surface. It’s particularlyeffective on light soils in reducing instances of slumping.”

Each tilled strip is consolidated by a razor ring zonal roller, which reconstitutes the seedbed without consolidating the whole width.

The double depth leg unit and matching zonal rollercan be fitted to a number of cultivation platforms including the Cousins V-Form soil loosener, trailed Oil-Drill and Patriot cultivator.

By only moving 20% of the soil surface, a 6mmachine can be put behind a 180hp tractor, he adds.

“The difference in general weed control is substantial.Not only blackgrass, but control of charlock, cranesbilland beet and OSR volunteers is far higher.”

Now in its third year of development, the Surface cultivator has already attracted great interest by winningan IMMA gold medal award at Cereals in 2014.

Available in 3m to 6m working widths and all the

widths in between, the Surface cultivator is a bespokemachine made to order from Cousins.

Its design remit was to move the whole surface areaaccurately to a depth of 50mm encouraging weeds to chitrapidly in a properly consolidated stale seedbed.

Positive managementDick Neale considers the Surface cultivator as a two-passcultivation system. “We’ve learnt that blackgrass requirespositive management during the stale seedbed andautumn germination period. The second pass encouragesa significant further flush during late Sept and early Oct–– a flush stimulated by the drill if this second cultivatorpass isn’t practised,” he notes.

“Because it’s working shallow and fast, two passeswon’t take a lot longer than one pass with heavier, deepercultivating machines, and burns less diesel.”

There’s no need for a huge tractor, either, he adds.“This spring, we were using a 6m machine with a 160hptractor without any problems, so growers aren’t lockedinto keeping it on a big machine.”

The cultivator itself is made up of straight trash-cutting discs at the front followed by double-bank60mm chisel-point tines then a roller. There’s a furtherdouble bank of tines, and finally another roller at the rear.Tines are tungsten-tipped and are angled at 45° to thesoil, meaning that as they wear, they continue to shavethe top of the soil.

The two purpose-designed rollers control the depth,so whatever these are set at, the cultivator can’t go any deeper.

“These are altered using wafer ram-adjusters, whichallow the operator to adjust the depth at 5mm incrementsat the point.”

Data gathered throughout the trials period suggest thatthe argument against shallow tillage on the grounds thatit’s bad for rooting and drainage is largely unfounded.Green Area Index (GAI) increased with the Surface, withaverage root length also increasing by 17%, indicative of warmer soil, improved rooting as well as more

mycorrhizal interaction and more aerobic conditions. “Importantly though, the Surface cultivator isn’t just

effective on stubbles, it does a good job on ploughingtoo. It’s a universal machine that doesn’t sink because of the rollers –– great for refreshing spring seedbeds pre drilling.”

A 6m machine weighs in the region of 9t. “It’s relianton its own weight to penetrate heavy, dry ground asthere’s no deep soil engagement to ‘pull’ the implementin. Although it’s heavy, the full width rollers prevent itsinking on even the softest ploughing,” he adds.

“It’s a case of treading lightly and going faster,” saysDick Neale. “For most it’ll mean a complete change ofsystem, so a lot of growers who’ve had the machine on demo have had it back again to try it in different circumstances.” n

5cpm magazine successful OSR

With costs rising and returnsunder pressure, has the

definition of a performanceoilseed rape variety changed?CPM finds out what traits are

important and what onebreeder has been doing to

address the issue.

By Tom Allen-Stevens

Margin squeeze promptsvariety rethink

To grow a crop with true

potential, you have to consider other

attributes.”

“


Yield may be the key driver in most cropping decisions, but there’s a different dynamic creeping into varietychoice for oilseed rape. To look at grossoutput alone would be a dangerouslyblinkered view in the opinion of independent consultant Philip Marr.

“It’s not the crop we had ten years ago,” he says.“Rotations have closed up, there’s more disease, and the crop faces more adversity from the momentit’s drilled. It’s a change we’ve largely brought on ourselves, but it’s a far greater challenge now to achieve the profitability we used to.”

Growers have been dazzled by headline yields, hesuggests. “But to grow a crop with true potential, youhave to consider other attributes.” So what are the keytraits he reckons growers should seek to identify?

The first in his view is fast autumn development.Through years of trials-based experience, Philip Marrhas identified distinct differences in how varieties puton leaf area over the autumn. “A quick establishment iskey to achieving a successful crop. It allows it to pullaway from cabbage stem flea beetle more effectively,and to withstand a battering from pigeons. A crop that’s developed well early on is better equipped against phoma and light leaf spot.”

A fast-developing crop will draw on nutrients still inthe soil to put on biomass, before those nutrients leachaway over the winter. And what you see above groundis delivered below ground too. “There’s a big influenceon root development –– this is something we’vefocused on over the past two years. The varieties thatget away early put a lot of energy into putting downroots, although that depends on soil conditions, too.”

But don’t confuse vigour at establishment with therate of development, he cautions. “Vigour is to do with seed size –– the bigger the seed, the faster it will germinate. That’s unrelated to how a plant putson true leaves.”

While thousand grain weight gives an indication ofseed size, this can vary between seed batches and evenwithin a batch, so it can be difficult to relate vigour to a particular variety. Hybrids tend to lead on vigour, he points out, although some are noticeably more vigorous than others.

Plenty of early growth has the added advantage thatthe crop needs less N in the early spring, he notes.“Again, much depends on soil conditions and howmuch N is available in the soil. Some of the plots at

Brotherton this year had received digestate from an ADplant or biosolids and there was 185kgN/ha in the soil.Some varieties had already achieved a green area index(GAI) of 2 in the early spring and needed no applied N to achieve 3.5 at flowering. You can then focus yourN on later inputs to build the yield.”

Disease resistance is becoming ever more important, continues Philip Marr. “Firstly, look for ahigh phoma score –– a rating of 4 or 5 will cost you a

The varieties that get away early put a lot ofenergy into putting down roots, notes Philip Marr.

s

A quick establishment allows a crop to pull awayfrom cabbage stem flea beetle and withstand abattering from pigeons.

lot to protect the crop. But resistance to LLS letsdown a lot of varieties on the current HGCA East/WestRecommended List –– some are as low as a 4, andthat’s pathetic. They should really be up around 6 or more.”

It’s not just the prevalence of the disease that’s a problem, he adds. “Resistance to triazoles is reportedlybuilding at a faster rate in LLS than it is in septoria in wheat.”

Development through the spring differs between varieties, points out Philip Marr. “Some with a fastautumn development are slower in the spring ––DK Extrovert and DK Explicit are good examples. But DK Exentiel and DK Exalte develop fast in both theautumn and spring. This has management implicationsand will determine how you use PGRs.”

But while putting on biomass is key in the autumn, it’s essential to take a measured approach in the spring.“The biggest mistake is to encourage a large canopy

–– we see it time and again, and that’s what led to the big crops that lodged in 2012.”

And later-maturing varieties aren’t always best, hereckons. “They’ve performed well over the past couple of years, but that’s because we’ve had a weather anomaly of high June temperatures that have suited the later-maturing types. A more ‘normal’ pattern ofweather over the summer would favour the early maturing varieties.”

Bringing on lines with greater stress tolerance has become a priority for Monsanto, according to the company’s European head of breeding, Jean-PierreDespeghel.

“Breeding varieties with a high output potential isn’tdifficult. But the whole focus of our work is to combinethis potential with the greatest performance ability under less-than-ideal conditions. This is far more challenging.”

Winter OSR costs more to grow per ha than any otherEuropean combinable crop, with the exception of grainmaize, he points out. So the aim with the Dekalb lineshas been to achieve a consistent performance, deliveringthe best margin when conditions are sub-optimal, aswell as when high yields and oil contents are achieved.

“The best hybrids have a much greater capacity tocompensate for a whole range of environmental stressesthan pure lines,” explains Jean-Pierre Despeghel.

Vigorous establishment“We’ve been able to extend this resilience significantly in recent years by introducing vigorous establishment,double phoma resistance, pod-shatter resistance andlow biomass traits into our Dekalb hybrids. To thesewe’re currently adding robust LLS and even strongerphoma resistance. And, with our latest studies, we’reactively working to build in extra nutritional stress tolerance too.”

Screening of more than 60 modern varieties carriedout by Monsanto across a number of sites shows thateven tolerant modern hybrids typically lose 22% of their yield when nitrogen inputs fall from 180kgN/ha to 120kgN/ha.

The least tolerant lines suffer yield losses of 25% ormore, however, while the most tolerant lose just 15% orless. The studies suggest environmental stress toleranceis linked to a superior capacity for branching in generaland from low down on the stem, in particular.

The best hybrids have a much greater capacity tocompensate for a whole range of environmentalstresses than pure lines, says Jean-Pierre Despeghel.

s


.

The Dekalb hybrids have always proven to beamong the faster-developing varieties in PhilipMarr’s trials at Brotherton. So which ones does hereckon should be included in growers’ pick liststhis summer?1. Excalibur may have been around for a while

and is now outclassed on yield, but it remains one of Philip Marr’s favourite hybrids. “It’s so consistent and delivers what growers want.It also has pod-shatter resistance, decent disease ratings and it’s early to flower and mature.”

2. DK Expower is another favoured for its consistency. “It won’t let you down, although its spring growth has to be managed to achieve the right canopy.”

3. DK Exalte is one of the newer varieties Philip Marr favours. “It’s slightly later maturing with a higher yield, and with very good disease ratings.”

4. DK Exception is another new variety that’s “ticking all the right boxes. It looks like it’s a fast developer with a high phoma rating. But it needs another year before decisions can be made.”

5. DK Impression CL is Philip Marr’s choice of the Clearfield varieties available. “This variety brings with it a better yield, as well as the Clearfield technology to help where weeds are a problem.”

Excalibur may be outclassed on yield, but it’sconsistent, delivers what growers want and haspod-shatter resistance.

At a glanceExcalibur DK Expower DK Exalte DK Exception* DK Impression CL

Gross output (% control) 97 100 110 111 102Stem shortness 7 6 7 5 5Lodging resistance 7 7 7 8 6Earliness of flowering 8 8 7 6 6Earliness of maturity 7 6 6 5.5 6Light leaf spot 6 6 7 6 6Stem canker 4 8 8 9 6Source: Extracted from Monsanto UK trials network 2014 data for comparison purposes; *from limited UK data

Potential future legislative and economic pressuresare considered by the Monsanto breeding team alongside current constraints, states Jean-PierreDespeghel. These include greater restrictions on nitrate and pesticide use for environmental protection,the progressive loss of plant protection productsthrough the re-registration process, and increasinggrowing costs.

They build on what the company calls its ‘yield-protecting traits’, explains UK Dekalb breederMatthew Clarke. “We brought RLm7 phoma/stemcanker resistance into the UK RL with Excel in 2007.We protected it with broad polygenic resistance from acombination of other genes in so-called double phomaresistance in DK ExPower from 2012 and have sincemade the trait standard across all our DK-brandedhybrids. Alongside that, we’ve been building progressively greater and more robust LLS resistanceinto varieties like DK Extrovert, DK Explicit, DK Exalte and DK Exentiel.”

Pod shatter resistance was first available throughExcalibur in 2006. This trait protects the crop frommarked reductions in yield and increases in volunteerproblems from seed shedding in the run-up to andaround harvest, claims Matthew Clarke. “It’s especiallysignificant with stormy weather, combining delays andless-than-ideal harvesting conditions.”

The DK winter OSR hybrids are also renowned fortheir fast early development, he adds. “This providesextra insurance against delayed sowing, difficultseedbeds, poor autumn weather and early pest, disease, nutrition and weed challenges.

“Alternatively, more prostrate compact DK hybridswhich establish equally vigorously but develop less rapidly in the autumn, such as DK Explicit, are availableto make the most of the main drilling window undermore favourable autumn conditions. And our low biomass hybrids with the semi-dwarf character, such as DK Sensei, are ideal for the earliest drilling andhighest fertility sites since they are virtually impossibleto lodge.” n

Five favourites


Oilseed rape margins havebeen particularly tight in

recent years, so aligning cropnutrition to maximise yields

without wasting precious fertiliser is vital.

CPM reports.

By Jane Brown

At establishment, the primary focus should be onnitrogen and phosphate to get the crop off to agood start, says Tom Land.

Oilseed rape, like any crop, needs a comprehensive nutrient programme if it’s to perform well. This isn’t just aboutproviding the correct balance of nutrients,however –– most experts agree the crop is particular about timing and style ofapplication. So what comprises the perfect growing regime?

According to Tom Land of Agrii, one of the most critical requirements is that growers test soils regularlyfor broad-spectrum nutrient analysis and take crop samples at varying phases of growth. “Both are low cost and essential if you’re looking to tailor nutrition to specific crop requirements,” he says.

In the main, there are three key growth phases to target: autumn sowing, spring stem extension, and justafter flowering. “At establishment, the primary focusshould be on nitrogen and phosphate to get the crop

off to a good start,” says Tom Land. If applying solid Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertiliser, growersshould spread it before drilling, to ensure nutrients areavailable when required. “If you spread solid fertiliserafter the crop has emerged, it’s really too late.”

One way of tailoring nutrition to crop requirements is to use a liquid suspension fertiliser, says Omex agronomist Andy Eccles. “There’s no such thing as astandard suspension fertiliser analysis: They have the flexibility to be made according to specific fieldrequirements,” he says. “You can also include boron,manganese and a slow-release sulphur source, allowingthe total sulphur crop requirement to be applied in theseedbed, simplifying top-dressing in the spring.”

Suspensions are accurately applied as a contract service, to save farm time in the busy harvest and cultivation season, and can also include a tank-mixedapplication of pre-emergence herbicide to save furtherfield passes.

With autumn nitrogen applications limited to30kgN/ha in Nitrate Vulnerable Zones, an increasinglypopular option is to apply liquid fertiliser around the seed while drilling, says Andy Eccles. This ensures that the nutrients are in close proximity to the seed, inconcentrated quantities, but remaining well below thewhole field NVZ limit.

“If you’re drilling rapeseed with a subsoiler, there’s nopoint putting establishment fertiliser on the soil betweenthe rows –– with a banded starter application you’remaking more efficient use of the fertiliser and reducinginput costs,” he adds. Depending on the area treated,

Tailored nutrition for abumper crop

60 l/ha of 14-14-0 delivers 50kg/ha of nitrogen andphosphate in the seeding zone, but just 8.5kg/ha of each across the whole of the field.

Another advantage of using liquid starter fertiliser isthat different products can be included to reduce the number of passes required, he adds. “You can includeTPA –– an additive which keeps the phosphate soluble so rooting is better. You can also include phosphites toimprove rooting, or other bio-stimulants to make theestablishment zone less pest-friendly.”

In the spring, it’s important to tailor fertiliser applications according to the green area index (GAI) andyield potential, says Tom Land. “Coming out of the winter


Keeping the crop open and greenerfor longer will help to

develop yieldpotential.

“

”

Wait until full petal fall to maximise the benefitsof a foliar application, but not so late that olderseeds are maturing.

Andy Eccles recommends SAP testing in April todetermine the level of nutrients that crops havemanaged to extract from the soil.

you need to test your soil and assess the GAI –– the idealscore is 3.5 by flowering.” Thinner crops will need feeding in early March, albeit at relatively low rates due tothe colder temperatures. “If you’ve a thick canopy youdon’t need to touch it until the middle or end of March.”

Nitrogen can make up a large part of the variable costsinvolved in OSR production, so it’s essential that farmerstailor its application to the potential of the crop.“Excessive nitrogen applications can also have adetrimental effect on oil content,” warns Tom Land.

There are two ways to assess the GAI. “The first is tosimply take a picture and use a phone app which will provide you with a measurement of GAI.” The othermethod is to measure the crop weight, which is oftenmore accurate but time consuming. “It’s worthwhile takinga few crop weights and GAI images to get your eye in,” he adds.

The main aim of taking such a tailored approach tonitrogen application is to manage the canopy architectureof the crop. “The principle being that the leaves have thehighest photosynthetic rate of the whole plant, so keepingthe crop open and greener for longer will help to developyield potential.”

As a rule, growers need to apply an extra 30kgN/ha

per 0.5t/ha of yield response over 3.5t/ha, says TomLand. “Ultimately you’re aiming for 175kg/ha of nitrogenin the crop by harvest, to build the canopy. The additionalnitrogen for yield needs to be applied around the flowering stage, as it keeps stems, leaves and podsgreener for longer, thus boosting overall yields.”

Sulphur, which aids nitrogen uptake by the plant,should also be applied in early spring, typically at a rateof 80-100kg/ha of SO3. An essential nutrient for OSR,sulphur is a key component of two critical amino acids–– cysteine and methionine –– which are needed for protein and chlorophyll synthesis.

It may also be worthwhile checking tissue levels formolybdenum during the spring, continues Tom Land.“Although sulphur is an essential component of nutritionfor the OSR crop it can also be antagonistic towards theavailability of molybdenum. This is required in very smallamounts but is functional in nitrate metabolism. Any deficiency can be addressed by foliar applications duringthe stem extension phase of growth.”

Other nutrients to consider are boron and manganese,he adds. “Boron is linked to crop fertility and cell division, so is especially important in the floweringprocess. I’d recommend applying about 350g/ha in thespring, and maybe 150-175g/ha in the autumn.”

Boron is leached through the soil and is particularlyrestricted in calcareous soils. “A 4t/ha crop of OSR willuse about 320g/ha of boron in the spring, and as it isn’t transported easily within the plant, a foliar nutrientsupplement is best if soil levels are insufficient,” saysTom Land. “Given that boron is needed for pollinationand seed set it’s essential that the largest amount isapplied during stem extension.”

Manganese and magnesium are both central to photosynthesis, and as OSR is particularly susceptible to deficiency without showing clear symptoms, farmersshould test their plants to establish nutrient levels, headds. “Take tissue samples for analysis, as you can makesignificant savings by tailoring your fertiliser regime.”

As the crop enters stem extension in April, potassiumbecomes another key consideration. “Throughout thegrowing season OSR can take up to 350kg/ha of potashfrom the soil, so it’s essential to know your soil index adapply muriate of potash as needed.”

There’s a close relationship between nitrogen, potassium and water uptake in OSR, he says. “Potassium

is often deemed the quality nutrient in OSR production:crops deficient in potash can also suffer from lower oilcontent as a result of poor nutrient regulation within the plant.”

Andy Eccles recommends SAP testing in April todetermine the level of nutrients that crops have managedto extract from the soil. “SAP testing analyses 17 parameters in the sap extracted from conventional plant samples,” he says. “It’s a lot more sensitive to deficiencies and imbalances than tissue testing, and ifnutrients are deficient or out of balance, we can makesuggestions for foliar applications of nutrients to get thecrop back on track.”

Trials have shown that later applications of fertilisercan significantly boost OSR yields –– but there’s the difficulty of getting into tall, dense crops with a spreader.The solution, according to Andy Eccles, is to use asprayer for foliar application of liquid fertiliser instead.

“ADAS trials have shown that foliar urea applicationsincrease yields by 0.2-0.35t/ha compared with solidammonium nitrate,” he says. “But Oilseed Extra –– afoliar nitrogen product with additional nutrients and co-formulants –– led to an average yield increase of0.61t/ha over nine years of trials, boosting gross margins by over £100/ha after the cost of product and application.”

The magnesium in Oilseed Extra helps the plant photosynthesise and produce carbohydrates for the oil –– availability from the soil declines as the season progresses and uptake of many nutrients through theroots stops altogether after flowering, says Andy Eccles.“We’ve also done trials with copper, molybdenum, manganese and zinc –– the addition of the magnesium and these micronutrients gave a double yield increasecompared with nitrogen on its own.”

OSR needs between three and five times the level oftrace elements required by cereals, he adds. “Manganeseand zinc are important for plant enzyme function duringpod fill. Copper, applied post-flowering, increased OSRyields by 6% in trials, while molybdenum boosted oilcontent by around 1%.”

However, to maximise the benefits of foliar application,farmers should wait until full petal fall, as the flowerpetals can’t absorb the nutrients. “You need to get onwithin two weeks of petal fall –– any later than that is toolate, because the older seeds are already maturing.” n


OSR remains valuable anti-blackgrass weapon

It’s very important to try to

keep blackgrass seed inthe top 5cm of soil

where the products aremost efficient.

“

”

Despite a slump in profitability, oilseed rape hasa vital role as a rotationalbreak crop. CPM gathersfeedback on weed controlthis season and seeks tipson how to make the most of it.

By Andrew Blake


Oilseed rape is very useful in reducing blackgrassacross the rotation, says Dave Ellerton, providinggrowers concentrate on achieving good weedcontrol.

Oilseed rape continues to be important in rotations offering early harvests andspreading autumn workloads before the main cereal drilling period, notesHutchinsons’ technical development director David Ellerton. “It helps in gettingmore higher-yielding first wheat crops intothe rotation.

“However, it’s also very useful in reducing blackgrassacross the rotation, providing growers concentrate onachieving good weed control in the crop. If they don’t,they can actually make the situation worse.”

There’s limited opportunity for stale seedbeds andcontrolling blackgrass with glyphosate before sowing, he explains.

“Minimal seedbed movement during drilling willreduce blackgrass germination and keep the seeds in the upper soil layers where residual herbicides are most effective.

“Early application of metazachlor-based herbicidescan provide useful early blackgrass suppression, whilegraminicides such as clethodim can achieve good controlof emerged weeds.” But the latter should be used onlywhere blackgrass populations are particularly highbecause routine use can encourage resistance, he warns.“An alternative is the early use of carbetamide to prolongresidual control.

“Once the weather cools and soil moisture is adequate, normally from Nov, propyzamide-based products will then complete the blackgrass programme.”

The propyzamide in Kerb or AstroKerb is the criticalactive ingredient in achieving optimum blackgrass controlin OSR, he points out.

“Because there’s no known resistance to it, it’s useful even where blackgrass populations are highly resistant to other products. It can be used alone or mixed with a suitable graminicide to boost contact activity.

.l Volunteer cereals – competitivel Cleavers – worried about seed returnl Thistles – cause problems at harvest and

embarrassing weed above the cropl Poppies – very visuall Mayweeds – cause admix penalties, increase

moisture and visible above the crop

l Blackgrass – needs controlling for the whole rotation

l Cranesbill – from getting worse to “what’s cranesbill?”

l Charlock – getting worse but a good frost will see it off

Source: Dow AgroSciences

Farmers’ perception of OSR weeds

“However, it’s very important to try to keep blackgrassseed in the top 5cm of soil where the products are most efficient.

“Growers should also ensure that there’s adequate soilmoisture to help activate them and soil temperatures arearound 10°C and falling to avoid rapid breakdown of theactive ingredient.”

The Dow AgroSciences website gives guidance as towhen conditions are suitable, he notes.

Water DirectiveFor the long term future of the active ingredient, however, it’s crucial that growers take all precautions necessary to avoid propyzamide entering water andbreaching the maximum levels permitted under theDrinking Water Directive, he warns.

“Ideally growers should establish a 6m grass strip ora 5m no-spray zone next to watercourses to avoid run off,and ideally avoid spraying when drains are flowing.

“Also, after applying AstroKerb, growers shouldremember to avoid removing OSR residues from the field unless they’re to be used for burning for heat orelectricity production.”

This restriction (see additional note * below) isbecause the active ingredient aminopyralid contained in AstroKerb becomes locked up in plant residues and

can affect following susceptible crops, such as potatoesand pulses, until the tissue completely breaks down, he explains.

In striving to make the most of the crop as an anti-blackgrass tool, growers must be aware of the impact of cultivations on blackgrass emergence, stressesDavid Ellerton.

“Failing to fully invert the soil when ploughing willcreate the worst of all worlds leaving blackgrass seed distributed throughout the soil profile. And blackgrassshould be controlled early rather than relying on contactcontrol of large plants later in the season.”

Until quite recently, increased yields and higher prices

.


.Relaying feedback from the field this season,Dow’s David Roberts notes that farmers andagronomists were generally patient in waiting forthe Dow Kerb Weather Data ‘Spray now’ message.

“This was around the second week in Nov.AstroKerb control of broadleaf weeds was verysoon apparent with rapid knockdown in manycases. This led to some farmers asking why theblackgrass hadn’t showed signs of control.

“However, the classic bulbing of the blackgrassstem base could be seen from the New Yearonwards with obvious signs of control in Feb.

“On the whole, reports were of very good

blackgrass control from both Kerb Flo 500 andAstroKerb, especially where a graminicide had beenused in Oct to slow the growth of grass weeds.”

The company routinely samples blackgrass andsubmits them for resistance testing, and once againno resistance was reported to propyzamide, he notes.

Small blackgrass plants were generally controlledin Jan and Feb. But even where larger plants’ deeper roots had passed through the herbicide zone,those plants eventually died in Feb and March astheir smaller adventitious roots took up enough propyzamide, he explains.

“It was noticeable that where the crop was drilled

using minimum establishment methods which disturbed the soil surface less, there was more consistent control of blackgrass from KerbFlo 500and AstroKerb.”

Broadleaf weeds were knocked down soon afterapplication, notes David Roberts while control ofblackgrass could be seen from the New Yearonwards.

All pesticide users must take care with products whereirresponsible use could lead to their approval being withdrawn, stresses Dow’s Andy Bailey.

Water companies have continued to find herbicidesmainly applied to OSR in raw water during 2014/15, he points out.

“That includes propyzamide. Growers should know by now if they’re farming in a Water Safeguard Zone, butif not they should look at the Environment Agency’sWIYBY website.”

Those in such zones (put ‘WIYBY for farmers’ intoyour web browser search engine to find out) should takeextra care when using herbicides and follow the advice

provided by the Voluntary Initiative, he advises.“Specifically farmers using products containing

propyzamide and carbetamide should ensure that theyhave at least a 6m buffer strip between the field and anywater body because this will reduce the amount of surfacerun-off which can carry the herbicides into the water.

“In addition our studies have shown that minimal cultivation techniques do reduce the amount of propyzamide reaching field drains.

“Defra is conducting a review of products used in OSRwith respect to their presence in water. Various optionswill be proposed, and there’ll be a public consultation on these.

“The consultation is likely to take place later this year,and it’ll be important for all organisations to respond to it.”

Andy Bailey is keeping an eye out for aconsultation on OSR herbicides, expected later this year.

Care consultation pending

Posts on Twitter suggest growers have receivedgood results from AstroKerb.

meant winter OSR had come to be regarded as a margincrop in its own right, notes John Sellars of DowAgroSciences.

Rotational intervals were reduced, so disease, pestand weed burdens increased. But prices were high andthe increased cost of inputs was justified.

“Now, as rapeseed prices fall back, current crop protection strategies and the crop’s role in the rotationhave come under scrutiny,” he says. “Without doubt

farmers are looking to widen their rotations and introducespring cropping.”

With few realistic alternatives, however, OSR is starting to revert to its traditional role as a break crop, andgrowers and advisers alike acknowledge that it’s ideal inthat respect, offering a range of benefits, he believes.

“Harvest and drilling operations fit well with activitiesaround wheat harvest and drilling. Early drilling, forexample, spreads machinery costs over a longer period.

“OSR is deep rooting and has a cultivating effectwhich conditions the soil, it’s seen as an ideal entry intowheat, and it creates a take-all break.”

Most significantly, he maintains, it helps growersmanage blackgrass and broadleaf weeds across the rotation because of the range of different herbicides whichmay be applied to it –– Kerb and AstroKerb in particular.

“In parts of the country, generally on the lighter soilsof the South and Cotswolds, where blackgrass isn’t the major weed and is adequately controlled, many herbicide costs are front-end loaded. There’s a reliance onpre-emergence or early post-em strategies, with a springfollow-up of Galera (clopyralid+ picloram) or Shield(clopyralid) planned.

“However, on the heavier lands of the East, the mainaim is good blackgrass control with best practice methods for volunteer cereals and broadleaf weeds sometimes compromised.

“Consequently weed escapees or late germinatorssuch as poppy, mayweeds and thistles are common.

“Overall, in these areas, herbicide costs are usuallyhigher, the spend is later and it lasts longer.

“Using AstroKerb over the past two seasons,

with its activity against key weeds such as poppy, mayweeds and thistles, has put some robustness into these programmes.

“This season, there’s been less need for late-germinating broadleaf-weed treatments based around Galera or Shield, although both still have a place especially in years where there may be late flushes of weeds. Galera, for example, is active againstmayweeds, thistles and, importantly, cleavers.”* Generic stewardship statement based on higher use rates of aminopyralid in grassland. Straw could beused as bedding and eaten by cattle. The subsequentmanure may contain aminopyralid residues which maycause effect on a growing crop if spread as slurry. If strawis incinerated then there’s no risk, and importantly a paper trail should be retained so it can be traced to an incinerator. n

Patience rewarded

Blackgrass resistance

Susceptible blackgrass

Resistant blackgrassSource: Dow AgroSciences, collected from field in 2014

The Microwing works well in some situations butnot in others.

Careful planning ensures a clean crop

We never cultivate what we

can’t drill, nor drill what we

can’t roll.

“

”

It’s difficult to know whether Alex Wilcoxtakes what he’s learnt from the crops onhis farm and applies it to his agronomyclients, or takes what he’s found as anagronomist and applies it to his crop.Either way, he’s developed a system foroilseed rape he believes is working wellacross the 400ha he farms in total, basedat Hill Farm, Stowbridge, near Kings Lynnin Norfolk.

“OSR is a crop with a lot of positives, even at £250/t,”he enthuses. “Primarily, it’s a cleaning crop. Some growers are saying it isn’t any longer, but it is if you follow some golden rules of cultivation and management.”

An agronomist with Hutchinsons since 1997, he covers an area that reaches down into Beds and up toLincs. “I started farming when we got our first countycouncil holding in 1998 in Cambs. We moved to HillFarm in 2003 –– another council tenancy –– and havebuilt in rented land and work with two other county council tenancies,” he explains.

For the past ten years, the farm has also hosted a trials demonstration site for Hutchinsons, with wheat,OSR and pulses in the plots. Aiming to grow for quality,all wheats at the 200ha Hill Farm are milling varieties,

From cultivations to herbicideuse and nutrition, Norfolkgrower Alex Wilcox has a disciplined approach to hisoilseed rape management thatretains the crop’s value in therotation. CPM pays him a visit.

By Tom Allen-Stevens

and there are marrowfat peas and sugar beet in the rotation, along with the 40ha OSR crop across fenlandsoils that range from a silt/clay loam to silt loams withsome organic soils.

“We have a rotation with OSR extended back to onceevery four or five years. But we look at the soil structurefirst –– if a field needs remedial work, it won’t becropped with OSR. We have a strict cultivation policy,moving the soil no deeper than 25mm.”

A 4m set of Cousins K125 discs, “set virtually flat”and with a double-ring press at the back, creates thetilth. A 4m Väderstad drill puts the seed in, while an 8mset of Cousins rolls follows close behind, spreadingslug pellets through a Stocks spreader.

“We’re aiming to avoid clods and never allow the soilto dry out –– we never cultivate what we can’t drill, nordrill what we can’t roll. The key is to achieve a fine, wellconsolidated seedbed that slugs don’t like and that givesyou good seed-to-soil contact. We’re also aiming to keepall the weeds, especially blackgrass, in the kill zone of thetop 5cm.”

It’s for that reason he’s not a fan of sub-cast OSR.“Around the shoulders of the subsoiler leg, the blackgrass can root too deep and the propyzamide won’t touch it,” he says.

But he has tried the Microwing in the trial plots. “It works well in some situations but not in others.There’s very little soil disturbed and the crop is band-sown, which is useful if you’re also placing


Hill Farm, Stowbridge, Kings Lynn, Norfolkl Arable area: 200ha worked in with

another 200ha of neighbouring farmsl Cropping: Winter wheat, spring wheat,

winter oilseed rape, peas, sugar beetl Harvester: John Deere CTS with 7.5m cutl Mainline tractors: JD 7530; Renault Aresl Drill: 4m Väderstad Rapidl Cultivation: 4m Cousins K125 discsl Rolls: 8m Cousins rolls with Stocks slug

pellet applicatorl Spreader: Amazone Novi with 1800kg

capacity.

Farm Facts

The Hutchinsons trials on his farm give AlexWilcox the opportunity to put different OSRstrategies to the test.

A spray miss shows up how effective AstroKerbhas been.

The aim is to achieve a fine, well consolidatedseedbed from the fenland soils that slugs don’tlike and that offers good seed-to-soil contact.

fertiliser, and less surface disturbed means less weeds arestimulated. That gives the residuals less work to do andthe weeds will sit in a toxic soup. It’s also a system that’sclearly light on diesel, so there’s great potential for establishment savings.

“But it’s less accurate –– the seed isn’t placed and thetrash isn’t mixed up. That can compromise establishmentand leave the crop exposed to slugs,” notes Alex Wilcox.

For him, seed rate and even variety are tailored to soil and situation to ensure the right plant populationestablishes fast. “It comes down to blackgrass pressure,potential predation and soil fertility. Where these aregoing to work against establishment, we’ll drill a conventional variety at a high seed rate –– the top end would be 80 seeds/m2,” he explains.

“But on a good fen soil, we’d put a hybrid in at around40-45 seeds/m2. What we’re aiming for is a canopy that’llbe self-sustaining –– lodging is the killer of yield.” Withsome varieties sensitive to stem-base diseases, he’sreluctant to start drilling before 24 Aug.

While pressure from cabbage stem flea beetle can bebad, Alex Wilcox believes this mostly comes down toseedbed quality. “If you have a cloddy seedbed, or put theseed into dry soil, that’s when the crop will hang aroundand it’ll be vulnerable to attack. So again, minimum cultivations, good consolidation and a fast turnaround are crucial.”

Spraying is carried out by a contractor, but this follows a plan that’s carefully thought through. “We’d startwith clomazone and metazachlor. It’s not cheap, so wherethere’s a lot of weeds, especially hedge mustard, we’dkeep the rate of clomazone at 0.3 l/ha, but where there’sless pressure you can drop this to 0.2 l/ha. You can get away with 1 l/ha of metazachlor, but where there’sblackgrass, 1.5 l/ha gets a better result.”

The rest of the programme hinges on the pre-em treatment, he continues. “The beauty of a well planned,well applied pre-em is that the rest of your programmewon’t be rushed –– in some cases, it’ll still be workingwhen the propyzamide goes on in Nov.”

Limit resistanceSo he’ll assess the crop post emergence and apply agraminicide if necessary. “We’d reserve the clethodim forsituations where we know one of the other dims or fopswon’t work, to limit the spread of resistance. We try not to apply propaquizafop too early for volunteers as thatmay mean you’d have to make a further graminicideapplication to control them.”

The next step is to finish off the broadleaf weeds.“Ideally, these are controlled by AstroKerb (aminopyralid+propyzamide) in Nov. It does a remarkable job on cleaversand charlock, and you can see to a line in our trials whereit’s been used.”

Inevitably, weed control in OSR will be expensive, heaccepts. “When you compare it with a similar programmein cereals, however, it stacks up favourably, and there’smore of a prospect of cleaning up blackgrass in OSR. The difficulty comes when it doesn’t work –– it’s easy to blame the chemistry, but more often than not thepropyzamide’s applied too early or to a poor seedbed. If you’re disciplined, there’ll always be conditions thatdeliver good results.”

When it comes to nutrition, Alex Wilcox follows asimilar, planned approach. “We prefer to apply liquid Nwith the pre-em and then a foliar feed at two true leaves.”

The early dose supplies 30kgN/ha with a little sulphur,and this is followed up with a phosphite, zinc and manganese foliar feed. “We’ll apply that with the cabbagestem flea beetle spray, if it’s needed. It really pushes thecrop on and improves its ability to forage for phosphate.But that draws a lot on soil resources, so you have to besure your phosphate indices are up to scratch.”

In the spring, a prilled ammonium sulphate-basednitrogen fertiliser is applied through the farm’s AmazoneNovi fertiliser spreader as soon as soils warm up. “Thatbrings the sulphur up to 80kg/ha SO3 applied in total.And if we need more N, that’ll be applied as calciumammonium nitrate as late as we can spin it on to the crop.

“I’m a big fan of CAN –– OSR really enjoys thecalcium, although the downside is that it’s a bulky product at just 27% N. However, it’s a heavy granular formulation, so it spreads well to 36m.”

Nitrogen applications are judged according to green area index, and typically up to 170kgN/ha will beapplied to the growing crop so it reaches a GAI of 3.5 at flowering.

“This year, we applied nothing before flowering apart

from the early spring dose, and the crop looks a bit starey–– there’s quite an open canopy. This should be goodnews though –– it’ll retain the lower leaves better and finish all the seeds within the pods naturally throughmore efficient photosynthesis,” he explains.

“On the bigger crops, we’ll apply a final 30-50kgN/haas a foliar application towards the end of flowering. These have set too many pods to finish naturally and thefoliar N coats the pods with a tonic, helping to reduceseed abortion.”

For this, he favours Oilseed Extra, which is added tothe fungicide top-up of azoxystrobin plus cyproconazole.The same mix is applied at green bud, while bixafen, prothioconazole and tebuconazole is the mid-floweringapplication for sclerotinia.

“Again, we’d only apply the Oilseed Extra if the cropwarranted it. If it’s too thick and there’s a lodging risk, forget it –– you’d be wasting your money. You still need acanopy with pods that can photosynthesise towards thebottom of the plant. If the crop’s to fill those pods, it’llneed feeding.”

OSR yields average 4.2-4.5t/ha, gathered in with aJohn Deere CTS combine with a 7.5m cut and Zurn OSRextender. “We desiccate with diquat and pod sealant –– glyphosate’s a weedkiller in my view, so shouldn’t be necessary if you’ve maintained a clean crop,” notesAlex Wilcox.

“This then leaves a clean start for a premium wheat.There’s quite a strong view against OSR at present, sayingit’s becoming a dirty crop that’s expensive to grow.Provided it’s planned and managed well, it’s very much a valuable crop in the rotation and profitable in its own right.” n


sponsored by - cpm magazine · 2016-12-05 · success from your oilseed crop, that we’ve put...

Documents