It’s early autumn, the ideal time for the next growing season. Farmers are preparing for the sowing of winter crops, like cereals, clovers, winter rapeseed, and others. While sowing of cereals has not yet begun, sowing of rapeseed is almost finished. If you didn’t sow it yet, there isn’t much time left for doing this.
Winter rapeseed is usually sown during August but can be planted in September also. Although the delay of planting into September may cause the crop to be less developed, limit the crop’s ability to survive winter conditions, competitiveness to weeds, maturity date, and potential insect damage. Late planted rapeseed may not cover the soil surface adequately for erosion protection. Also, August plantings showed a higher seed yield than September plantings.
For those who are just starting to sow rapeseed, here is a review on farming technology of winter rapeseed: soil preparation, fertilization, and protection.
Soil preparation
Since cereals are the most common previous crop for rapeseed, immediately after harvest should be done stubble dusting to a depth 12-15 cm. No later than 2-3 weeks before planting should be done plowing at 25-30 cm along with adding fertilizer for basic fertilization, and after plowing is mandatory to close furrows to conserve moisture.
Fertilization
During stubble, dusting should plow 100 kg/ha of nitrogen fertilizer (UREA) and then in basic fertilization plow mineral fertilizer with pronounced amounts of phosphorus P2O5 and potassium K2O (NPK 7:20:30, 8:26:26, 6:18:36..). Before sowing is added fertilizer with a balanced nutrient ratio 1:1:1. For this purpose could use NPK 15-15-15 with or without the addition of sulfur.
The rest of the fertilizers is added during spring in two supplemental feedings. The first is carried out at the beginning of vegetation in spring, in order to facilitate the regeneration of crops after winter, is added 200 kg/ha of KAN. Two to three weeks after the first supplemental feeding is carried out the second, with 150 kg/ha of KAN.
Example of fertilization for a yield of 3.5 t/ha: 245 kg N 88 kg P2O5 350 kg K2O
That means that fertilization should be added: 140-160 kg/ha N, 80-120 kg/ha P2O5 and 160-180 kg/ha K2O.
Amounts of fertilizers are managed based on previous crop, soil, and planned yield. But, the safest, most accurate and most rational fertilizing you will determine if you perform soil analysis.
Protection
Rapeseed in vegetation may attack many diseases and pests. Especially are spread Alternaria blight, phoma stem, white mold, cabbage stem flea beetle, rape winter stem weevil, turnip sawfly and pollen beetle. The decision of the treatment of crops should be made after reviewing the crops, depending on crop condition, the production value, previous crop, plant density, weed infestation and convenience of weather conditions for the emergence and spread of diseases and pests.
Rapeseed, also known as canola, has been cultivated around the world for four thousand years. It not only provides healthy cooking oil for consumers because canola oil has a lower fatty acid profile which can promote heart health, but it is also one of the most effective ‘break crops’ for farmers. Using rapeseed in a crop rotation can provide enhanced weed, pest, and disease control, making it an essential crop for improving productivity.
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