How to increase oilseed rape yield
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.
Oilseed rape has significant nutrient demands
Plant nutrients are essential building blocks of all crops. Any deficiency of a single plant nutrient will reduce crop growth, which in turn will reduce yield and revenue for the grower. It is therefore important that all crop nutrients are available to the crop at the required rate and balance that is necessary for the development of the crop.
Compared to many other arable crops such as cereals, oilseed rape is distinguished by a significant demand for nutrients which results in a significant mobilisation of the nutrients. However, oilseed rape returns most of these nutrients to the soil and so is an excellent preceding crop in a rotation.
Since most soils can have deficiencies of multiple nutrients, mineral fertiliser provides the nutrients needed by the crop. On a site with nutrient deficiency, the application of fertiliser will usually lead to a crop yield increase that is multiple of the yield obtained without fertiliser.
Many studies have confirmed that investment in mineral nitrogen fertiliser usually returns between 4-5 times the money invested because of the improved crop yield.
High oilseed rape yields come from a crop nutrition strategy which considers the two critical elements that give consistent high yields.
Related articles
How to improve oilseed rape establishment
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.
How to optimise oilseed rape green area index
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.
How to extend oilseed rape canopy duration
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.
How to increase oilseed rape oil content
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.
Identify and diagnose oilseed nutrient deficiencies
Identify and diagnose if your oilseed rape is suffering from nutrient deficiencies and learn more about the symptoms and causes and how to control or correct the deficiency
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More oilseed agronomy advice
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