Growers planning to drill winter oilseed rape later than usual this season are being urged to adapt crop management to help plants establish before winter.
Andrew Cromie, head of crop nutrition at ProCam, said many growers have delayed drilling until late August or September after July’s dry weather disrupted plans. Others are waiting until after the peak migration period for cabbage stem flea beetle.
Despite the later drilling window, Mr Cromie said there was renewed confidence in winter oilseed rape following encouraging harvest results this year.
He said: “Farmers are returning to growing WOSR and, weather permitting, we could see plantings increase by 10-20% compared with the 2025/26 season.”
He advised growers to focus on rapid autumn establishment, aiming for crops to reach eight to 10 true leaves with a taproot collar diameter exceeding 8mm before winter dormancy.
“If drilling later, a key objective will be to accelerate the crop’s growth so that it reaches 8-10 true leaves and has a taproot collar diameter of more than 8mm before winter dormancy,” he said.
Mr Cromie recommended selecting varieties with strong autumn vigour, such as the hybrid RGT Blackmoon, alongside ensuring crops receive sufficient nutrients.
He added that declining soil temperatures later in the season reduce nutrient availability, making early nutrition increasingly important.
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Starter fertilisers, foliar phosphite applications, and applications of potassium, sulphur and boron can all help improve root development, nutrient uptake and stem strength, while molybdenum, manganese and zinc also support early crop growth.
Mr Cromie stressed that nutrition alone would not guarantee success.
He said growers should also address soil compaction, maintain a soil pH of between 6.5 and 7.0, and make use of organic manures where available to improve soil biology and nutrient availability.
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