Cultivation after harvest

Calling all OSR Growers in the UK

Recent Research

Following encouraging work by Colin Peters and his team at NIAB, today we are launching a campaign to encourage OSR growers to consider a post harvest cultivation of their recently harvested rapeseed fields. One of the highlights from the NIAB Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle (CSFB) research shows that a shallow cultivation immediately after rape harvest can reduce CSFB adult emergence by between 50-90%, by disrupting the lifecycle during the pupal stage.

Does it work?

Research is still in its early stages, but United Oilseeds plans to support further studies in this area. In the short term, we believe it is worthwhile to proceed, mainly because the required actions are straightforward and logical. The key is to create as much disturbance as possible in the top layer of soil, either through cultivation or even with a simple straw rake, which may be effective. We emphasise that this is preliminary research and needs further development, however, the simplicity of this action warrants a try.

What can you do?

Today we call on all OSR growers across the UK to join together and test the initial research. United Oilseeds Director Andrew Cragg, himself an OSR grower says: “I’ve seen the research and a shallow but thorough cultivation makes complete sense.”  This will then benefit the following year’s rapeseed crop, maybe on your neighbouring field, or possibly even on your neighbours fields. Simple solutions are often the best, so please join our farming directors and members in trying a post harvest cultivation.

In terms of the depth of cultivation, a thorough working of the top 3-5cm seems the best approach based on the research to date.