Oilseed rape in the rotation Faye Ritchie, ADAS Rosemaund January 2012

Oilseed rape in the rotation

Faye Ritchie, ADAS Rosemaund

January 2012

What drives rotations?

• Economics – best margins

• Soil type (tradition) – what crops can be grown well (and sold)

• Pest and disease control – especially soil-borne organisms

• Weed control

• Politics – set-aside requirements etc• Biodiversity• Fertility building – especially organic systems• Other problems – weather, late harvest, crop failure

Rotational issues

• WOSR yields – rotation– rooting

• Soil-borne disease threats – and interventions

- principles - examples

• Other disease issues

• Conclusions

Impact of previous cropping on winter oilseed rape yields HGCA project 2922 – led by Ron Stobart, NIAB-TAG

• Trial location; NIAB-TAG Morley farm, Norfolk• four replicate trial drilled on large plots• variety Winner (used for the entire trial series)

• General agronomy• prophylactic inputs consistent with local best practice

• Trial establishment (ideal)• OSR cv Winner, typically drilled in early September• 1st wheat cv Brompton, typically drilled in the second half of September• 2nd (and later) wheat cv Brompton, typically drilled in mid October

Project treatment listing

Rotation Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Description

1 WOSR WW WW WW WW WW WW WOSR 6 year gap

2 WW WOSR WW WW WOSR WW WW WOSR 2 year gap

3 WW WW WOSR WW WW WW WW WOSR 4 year gap

4 WW WW WW WOSR WW WW WW WOSR 3 year gap

5 WOSR WOSR WOSR WOSR WOSR WOSR WOSR WOSRcontinuous WOSR

6 WOSR WW WOSR WW WOSR WW WOSR WW alternate WOSR

7 WOSR WW WW WOSR WW WW WOSR WW 2 year gap

8 WW WOSR WW WOSR WW WOSR WW WOSR alternate WOSR

OSR Rotational position and yield (t/ha) (Mean of 2006 – 2011 data)

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

3.50

4.00

4.50

Yie

ld (

t/h

a)

Decline in OSR yield and rotational frequency(Mean of 2006 – 2011 data)

R² = 0.99

0.00

20.00

40.00

60.00

80.00

100.00

120.00

% y

ield

rec

ove

ry

% inclusion of oilseed rape

WW Rotational position and yield (t/ha) (Mean of 2006 – 2011 data)

0.001.002.003.004.005.006.007.008.009.00

10.0011.0012.00

Yie

ld (

t/h

a)

Yields and outputs (average data)

Description OSR £300/t

WW 125/t

OSR £350/t

WW 150/t

OSR £400/t

WW150/t

OSR £400/t

WW200/t

OSR1 in 3(1st WW; 10.10 t/ha, 2nd WW 8.96 t/ha, OSR; 3.36 t/ha)

1070 1274 1323 1663

Alternate WW / OSR(WW; 10.08 t/ha, OSR; 2.81t/ha)

1052 1248 1318 1570

NB Data for longer rotations not provided by this project

Key messages

• Results clearly highlight rotational impacts on crop performance• yield penalties with associated financial implications from close rotations

• Results to date demonstrate• reduced early vigour • volunteers issues (crop competition or early season disease)• other disease problems (eg stem canker)• potential reduction in (cumulative) flowering period• evidence that closer rotations are impacting on components for yield and

yield drivers (seed development and rooting)

• Potential pathogens e.g.Olpidium brassicae and Pyrenochaeta sp. are being investigated

• TSB funded research is starting to examine management options

Rooting of OSR - Effects of June rainfall on yield at Boxworth

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

0 50 100 150

June Rainfall (mm)

Yie

ld t

/ha

Where rooting is limited, yield is likely to be linked to rainfall

Rooting at depth improved particularly by metconazole PGR in spring and correlated

with yieldADAS Boxworth 2005

R2 = 0.54

3.20

3.40

3.60

3.80

4.00

4.20

0.70 0.80 0.90 1.00

Mean root length density cm root/cm3 soil(40-100cm depth)

Yie

ld @

91%

DM

Metconazole effects on rooting

• Rooting data from 6 field trials

• Applications from pre-green bud (GS3,1) to late green bud (GS3,6)

• Spring applications increased root length density from 0.48 to 0.60 cm/cm3 (40-100cm depth)

• Estimated additional water uptake of 6-9 mm

• Estimated additional yield in dry year of 0.22 – 0.34 t/ha

Risk of drought affecting yield

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

East Midlands North South West

% o

f se

aso

ns

with

dro

ug

ht

Untreated

metconazole• Rainfall for 1986-2008

• 5 regions

• 3 soil types

• On heavy & medium soils the risk of drought was 1 yr in 2 to 1 yr in 3

• With metconazole the risk of drought was 1 yr in 5

Soil-borne diseases and rotation

• Pathogen increases in a susceptible crop and then declines under non-susceptible crops.

• Use extended rotations so that pathogen population declines to below threshold for economic damage.

• Many soil-borne pathogens are capable of long-term survival – interventions are required as long crop rotations may be impractical (>10 years)

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0 2 4 8 16 32

Time (years)

% s

urv

iva

l Where is threshold?

Changes in Verticillium populations in relation to potato crop in 2003. No decrease in 6yr rotation

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Apr-01 Sep-02 Jan-04 May-05 Oct-06 Feb-08 Jul-09

Nu

mb

er

of

co

lon

y f

orm

ing

un

its

o

f V

. da

hlia

e/g

so

il

Disc 300+400

Telone + control

Disc 300+500

Disc 300+control

Dis 400+Telone

March 2003 14.8 cfu/g January 2009 12.5 cfu/g

Potato Council Project R/328

Soil-borne oilseed rape diseases – severe clubroot

Sclerotinia surveys WOSR England 1986-2011

CropMonitor data

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

% p

lan

ts a

ffec

ted

Products stretched in 2010 by late flowering infection (early June) - Herefordshire

0

10

20

30

40

50

Amistar Compass Filan Galileo Proline Prosaro Topsin

% p

lants

affect

ed

Untreated half full

Responses c. 1 t/ha from all products, Herefordshire 2010

3

3.5

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

Amistar Compass Filan Galileo Proline Prosaro Topsin

Yie

ld (

t/ha)

Untreated half full

SkleroPro Infection model

Criteria:• Minimum requirements 7ºC and 80% RH for

23hr

Use to identify infection events in England

Koch et al., 2006

Fungicide persistence 3 weeks – needed 2 sprays in 2010

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

01-Apr 08-Apr 15-Apr 22-Apr 29-Apr 06-May 13-May 20-May 27-May 03-Jun 10-Jun

Rai

nfa

ll (m

m)

Sklero Pro infection events

AFD

Sclerotinia and rotations

• Higher risk where OSR grown in short rotations or in rotations with other susceptible crops - Peas, potatoes, carrots and other veg crops

• Sclerotia are long-lived if buried deeply.

• Fungicides very effective (for a soil-borne disease)

Verticillium wilt (V. longisporum) symptoms – can we manage this disease threat?

Verticillium wilt

• First confirmed in UK in 2007

• Pathogen is Verticillium longisporum – specific for crucifers (mainly brassicas) – first described 1997

• Important in other parts of Europe with up to 50% yield loss

Disease cycle of OSR verticillium

wiltPlant debris or soil from nearby infested fields

How much inoculum are you producing?

Use resistance in varieties

Verticillium wilt at Bourne, Lincs 2010

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Cat

ana

Ora

cle

Alie

nor

Com

pass

Pal

ace

Cui

llin

Kry

pton

Dim

ensi

on

DK

Cab

erne

t

Ham

mer

Ses

ame

PR

45D

03

PR

46W

21

Exc

el

Fla

sh

PR

45D

05

NK

Bra

vour

PR

45D

06

Kal

if

Es

Ast

rid

DK

ExM

en

DK

Sec

ure

Cas

tille

Exc

alib

ur

% p

lan

ts a

ffe

cte

d LSD 10.2

Improving verticillium management – 2012 actions

• Monitor crops pre-harvest – how much verticillium is present?

• Found in all regions - more in south and east

• Consider variety choice

• Be prepared to extend rotations to at least 1 in 4

Rotations – spatial implications

• If crops are grown in short rotations, new crops will be close to the previous year’s stubble and subject to spore transfer from crop residues and volunteers.

• Disease gradients can be steep for some diseases (eg Phoma leaf spot).

Light leaf spot – high risk for 2012

Light leaf spot in spring has been increasing for the last 6 years

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

% crops % plants

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Regional light leaf spot risk

2010/2011 2011/2012

Source: http://www3.res.bbsrc.ac.uk/leafspot/forecast/Default.htm

Increased risk

Similar risk

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

Castille Cuillin

Yie

ld (

t/h

a)

Untreated Proline aut + sp Proline spring

Large yield benefits from varieties with good light leaf spot resistance

(KWS data 2010 N Yorks)Castille 4.19 Cuillin 4.84 LSD =0.2

HGCA Light leaf spot control not easy - 2011HGCA Fungicide Performance: Light leaf spot control 6 weeks after T2,

High Mowthorpe, 12 May 2011

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Prosaro Proline Sanction Poraz

% l

ea

f a

rea

afe

cte

d

0

0.5

1

LSD = 0.47

HGCA Light leaf spot fungicides and yield, N Yorks 2011

HGCA Light leaf spot fungicides and yield, N Yorks 2011

3.8

4.0

4.2

4.4

4.6

4.8

5.0

5.2

5.4

Prosaro Proline Sanction Poraz

Yie

ld (

t/h

a)

0

0.5

1

Treated yield 4.97 v untreated 4.39 P<0.001

Implications for light leaf spot control

• High risk in 2012

• Better yield performance where second treatments applied in February

• Control difficult – need to use more resistant varieties.

• Product and dose differences were identified - prothioconazole gave best economic performance in first HGCA project;

tebuconazole and flusilazole still performing well

• Concerns about azole resistance

• Highly resistant varieties – Palace, Cuillin, Cracker, Catana

Conclusions

• Rotations are driven by economics

• Disease problems can emerge on short rotations but solutions are available to manage many of them.

• New diagnostic tools should help quantify problems in future and guide management decisions.

Thank you

Visit www.hgca.com/diseasecontrol for more information

Oilseed RapeUpdate on new RL varieties and disease management

Paul GoslingResearch & KT Manager (Agronomy)

39

40

Recommended list new additions for 2012

41

Variety Type Region Breeder

Marko* S RH - DSV

DK Camelot W Open pollinated E/W DEKALB

DK Expower W RH E/W DEKALB

Thorin W RH semi dwarf E/W LSPB

Palace W RH UK LSPB

Artoga W RH North Limagrain

Cracker W RH Sp UK LSPB

Oilseed rape

* The spring OSR list is descriptive

Spring varieties

42

Marko Delight Tamarin

RH RH Conv

Gross output [109] 101 102

Oil content [44.5] 43.9 43.4

Lodging [8] 8 8

Shortness of stem [4] 6 6

Earliness of maturity [3] 7 6

New

Yield

43

Winter varieties

Seasonal variation in oilseed rape E/W yields (controls & new)

44Average yield gain worth £140/ha based OSR @ £350/tonne

Restored hybrid varieties

DK Expower PR46W21

E/W gross output 105 109

Lodging [7] 8

Stem stiffness 7 9

Shortness of stem 6 6

Earliness of maturity 6 5

Phoma stem canker [9] 5

Light leaf spot 6 4

DK Expower contains the RLM7 resistance gene giving good resistance to Phoma

Resistance

New

45

Conventional varieties

DK Camelot DK Cabernet

E/W gross output 106 108

Lodging [7] 8

Stem stiffness 7 9

Shortness of stem 8 7

Earliness of maturity 6 4

Phoma stem canker 6 6

Light leaf spot [5] 5

DK Camelot is an earlier maturing variety

Agronomy

New

46

Semi-dwarf RH - East/West

Thorin DK Sequoia

E/W gross output 104 101

Lodging [8] 8

Stem stiffness 9 9

Shortness of stem 9 8

Earliness of maturity 5 6

Stem canker [5] 6

Light leaf spot 6 5

Thorin is a high yielding semi dwarf variety with short stiff stems

Yield

Agronomy

New

Clubroot resistant RH

Cracker Mendel

E/W gross output 97 94

Lodging 8 [8]

Stem stiffness 8 9

Shortness of stem 6 6

Earliness of maturity 6 6

Stem canker 4 5

Light leaf spot 9 5

Cracker provides growers with a combination of light leaf spot resistance and clubroot resistance

Yield

Resistance

New

48

49

New information on disease management

Clubroot

50

RD-2007-3373Management of clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) in winter oilseed rape

RD-2008-3525 Brassicas: Further Development of “in field” tests for resting spores of clubroot and the development of clubroot control based on detectionDiseased

Healthy

Clubroot distributionRD-2007-3373

50% of Scottish samples 54% of English samples

51

Effect on yield

52

Clubroot persistence

53

Modelled from Swedish data

Field trial results - RD-2007-3373

54

Factor / Site Aberdeen Aberdeen Warwickshire Herefordshire 2008/ 2009

Aberdeen Shropshire2007/2008 2008/ 2009 2009/2010 2009/2010 2007/2008

Clubroot epidemic

Very low all season

Low all season Low in autumn and medium in

spring

Low in autumn and medium in

spring

Moderate in autumn and severe in summer

Very severe from early on

Autumn conditions

Cool and drier than average

Cool and very wet, early frosts

Dry at sowing Early winter

Wet Wet, cool Wet, warmer

Soil treatment effect

No Yes Yes Yes No No

Variety effect No No Yes Yes - YespH pre trial 6.8 6.6 6.5 6.1 6.6 6.5Calcium pre trial (mg/l)

1857 2407 1720 999 2127 1720

Clubroot severity pre trial (bioassay)

22.6 7.1 11.3 83 24.6 35

Project conclusions

• Clubroot can cause significant yield loses in OSR even crop failure.

• Neither varietal resistance or soil amendments offer complete and reliable control.

• The risks of clubroot increase when brassicas are grown in short rotations (less than 1 in 5?)

• Preventative action with lime will be beneficial in managing this disease where pressure is low.

• Varietal resistance is likely to be very successful initially but will be eroded in short rotations.

55

Topic sheet

56

Oilseed Rape 2012 and beyond

• New RL varieties showing increased yield and improved agronomic characteristics

• Watch for signs of clubroot - consider management options

Thank you

58

Oilseed RapeUpdate on new RL varieties and disease management

Paul GoslingResearch & KT Manager (Agronomy)

59

60

Recommended list new additions for 2012

61

Variety Type Region Breeder

Marko* S RH - DSV

DK Camelot W Open pollinated E/W DEKALB

DK Expower W RH E/W DEKALB

Thorin W RH semi dwarf E/W LSPB

Palace W RH UK LSPB

Artoga W RH North Limagrain

Cracker W RH Sp UK LSPB

Oilseed rape

* The spring OSR list is descriptive

Spring varieties

62

Marko Delight Tamarin

RH RH Conv

Gross output [109] 101 102

Oil content [44.5] 43.9 43.4

Lodging [8] 8 8

Shortness of stem [4] 6 6

Earliness of maturity [3] 7 6

New

Yield

63

Winter varieties

Seasonal variation in oilseed rape E/W yields (controls & new)

64Average yield gain worth £140/ha based OSR @ £350/tonne

Restored hybrid varieties

DK Expower PR46W21

E/W gross output 105 109

Lodging [7] 8

Stem stiffness 7 9

Shortness of stem 6 6

Earliness of maturity 6 5

Phoma stem canker [9] 5

Light leaf spot 6 4

DK Expower contains the RLM7 resistance gene giving good resistance to Phoma

Resistance

New

65

Conventional varieties

DK Camelot DK Cabernet

E/W gross output 106 108

Lodging [7] 8

Stem stiffness 7 9

Shortness of stem 8 7

Earliness of maturity 6 4

Phoma stem canker 6 6

Light leaf spot [5] 5

DK Camelot is an earlier maturing variety

Agronomy

New

66

Semi-dwarf RH - East/West

Thorin DK Sequoia

E/W gross output 104 101

Lodging [8] 8

Stem stiffness 9 9

Shortness of stem 9 8

Earliness of maturity 5 6

Stem canker [5] 6

Light leaf spot 6 5

Thorin is a high yielding semi dwarf variety with short stiff stems

Yield

Agronomy

New

Clubroot resistant RH

Cracker Mendel

E/W gross output 97 94

Lodging 8 [8]

Stem stiffness 8 9

Shortness of stem 6 6

Earliness of maturity 6 6

Stem canker 4 5

Light leaf spot 9 5

Cracker provides growers with a combination of light leaf spot resistance and clubroot resistance

Yield

Resistance

New

68

69

New information on disease management

Clubroot

70

RD-2007-3373Management of clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) in winter oilseed rape

RD-2008-3525 Brassicas: Further Development of “in field” tests for resting spores of clubroot and the development of clubroot control based on detectionDiseased

Healthy

Clubroot distributionRD-2007-3373

50% of Scottish samples 54% of English samples

71

Effect on yield

72

Clubroot persistence

73

Modelled from Swedish data

Field trial results - RD-2007-3373

74

Factor / Site Aberdeen Aberdeen Warwickshire Herefordshire 2008/ 2009

Aberdeen Shropshire2007/2008 2008/ 2009 2009/2010 2009/2010 2007/2008

Clubroot epidemic

Very low all season

Low all season Low in autumn and medium in

spring

Low in autumn and medium in

spring

Moderate in autumn and severe in summer

Very severe from early on

Autumn conditions

Cool and drier than average

Cool and very wet, early frosts

Dry at sowing Early winter

Wet Wet, cool Wet, warmer

Soil treatment effect

No Yes Yes Yes No No

Variety effect No No Yes Yes - YespH pre trial 6.8 6.6 6.5 6.1 6.6 6.5Calcium pre trial (mg/l)

1857 2407 1720 999 2127 1720

Clubroot severity pre trial (bioassay)

22.6 7.1 11.3 83 24.6 35

Project conclusions

• Clubroot can cause significant yield loses in OSR even crop failure.

• Neither varietal resistance or soil amendments offer complete and reliable control.

• The risks of clubroot increase when brassicas are grown in short rotations (less than 1 in 5?)

• Preventative action with lime will be beneficial in managing this disease where pressure is low.

• Varietal resistance is likely to be very successful initially but will be eroded in short rotations.

75

Topic sheet

76

Oilseed Rape 2012 and beyond

• New RL varieties showing increased yield and improved agronomic characteristics

• Watch for signs of clubroot - consider management options

Thank you

78