How crop nutrition affects oilseed rape

Autumn nutrition is important to get the oilseed crop off to the best possible start. Getting OSR established and away rapidly is the best way to try to counteract the various pests that are rife at that time of year.

The key components of yield in oilseed rape are number of plants per unit area, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and the individual seed weight. High yields come from good crop management including a balanced plant nutrition programme.

The construction of the oilseed rape canopy and development of green area index is greatly influenced by nutrition, from fertiliser application at drilling through to applications of the key nutrients in the spring.

The oilseed rape canopy should be kept green for as long as possible so both leaves and pod can contribute towards seed fill and yield. Crop nutrition, particularly nitrogen and magnesium are important to achieve this.

The oil content in an oilseed rape crop depends on seeds per pod, pods per plant and plant per area. To obtain a good quality crop with the desired oil content, the photosynthetic activity must be maximized.

Achieving quality targets for oilseed rape can greatly affect the value of the harvested crop. The main quality targets are glucosinolate levels and percent oil content. Crop nutrition greatly influences both of these traits.

A healthy crop is the key to high yields and high quality of the end product. Any nutrient deficiency will reduce the ability of oilseed rape not only to grow according its genetic potential but also to resist insect pests and diseases to remain healthy.