
After last seasons successful harvest, average yields 13% higher than the 5 year average and buoyant prices, growers will be managing their rape crops to maximise yield, including the right variety, good establishment, timely removal of weeds, effective prevention of disease and growth manipulation.
Oilseed rape establishment this year has been fantastic, with most crops being drilled early into warm good seedbeds. Many crops are already 6 to 7 leaves and some as large as 10 leaves. These advanced crops need to be held back in order to get through the winter and to start the process of optimising the crop canopy for best yields. Many crops will benefit from a fungicide with a PGR activity.
With rape being grown in shorter rotations, disease pressure continues to be high and already Phoma lesions are being seen in the North of England, following the necessary wet weather during August and September to encourage disease spread.
The performance of triazole oilseed rape fungicides can be enhanced by the addition of the adjuvants ARMA or KANTOR.