United Kingdom
January 28, 2014

The popular HGCA Oilseed rape guide has been revised to help growers deliver the best possible yields in 2014.

The latest revision takes into account recent changes in the availability of plant protection products and new information from HGCA’s research programme.

Most notably, seed treatment options have changed in response to the restriction on the use of neonicotinoid-treated seed since 1 December 2013. Products containing the active ingredients clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam are no longer listed.

In the absence of seed treatments, the pest management section now oulines the remaining control options for protecting oilseed rape crops from damage caused by cabbage stem flea beetle, flea beetle and peach–potato aphids.

The guide now also includes information from HGCA and Defra’s yield plateau study (HGCA Project Report 502). This study suggested that the rise in oilseed rape cropping frequency is likely to be holding back yields and that there is scope to improve current nutrient management practices.

The guide is available to download from the HGCA website.

Website: http://www.hgca.com

Published: January 28, 2014