Have we bred OSR to lose hardiness?

SilliamWhale · Oct 21, 2019

Keep seeing fields of osr melt away from me. Its not slugs but its a lack of hardiness and vigour within them.

Plenty of broadleaf weeds can grow but Osr @ 3kg acre is just not able to grow with much joy.

Is the plant too far removed from its ancestors at our expense?

Even the flea beetle rampage makes me wonder. Would wild plants in the same family be similarly hammered?

Clive · Oct 21, 2019

Fish · Oct 21, 2019

Yes, it's the plant equivalent of sheep.

fudge · Oct 21, 2019

IMHO the land is “rape sick”, I think crops would be much more robust if one could find land where OSR had never been grown.

SilliamWhale said:
Keep seeing fields of osr melt away from me. Its not slugs but its a lack of hardiness and vigour within them.

Plenty of broadleaf weeds can grow but Osr @ 3kg acre is just not able to grow with much joy.

Is the plant too far removed from its ancestors at our expense?

Even the flea beetle rampage makes me wonder. Would wild plants in the same family be similarly hammered?

teslacoils · Oct 21, 2019

Yup.

Double low plants are naturally gash. Tasty to all vermin and unable to punch through a wet paper bag.

But it's what the consumer wants!

Clive · Oct 21, 2019

I believe the Romans named it Rape ? ...... probably for a reason?

quattro · Oct 21, 2019

Why do you see great big plants grow out of a crack in concrete

DRC · Oct 21, 2019

fudge said:
IMHO the land is “rape sick”, I think crops would be much more robust if one could find land where OSR had never been grown.

I’ve got 60 acres here this year, on land that’s never grown it. It’s not exactly romping away, but my stubble turnips are rubbish this year, so something isn’t suiting them. Interestingly the rape here, hasn’t been sprayed for FB or troubled by them, whereas a neighbour has sprayed his 3 times.

DrWazzock · Oct 21, 2019

Lack of vigour in both OSR and turnips is noticeable here this year. Not enough sunlight? Too dry then too wet. I thought they would pick up when the rain hit, but they haven't really. Seem to be stunted and very slow growing. Been in the ground weeks and what's left of them are pitiful compared to some years. OK I drilled a bit later but my earlier neighbour's isn't really much better and is absolutely crap compared to last year.

SilliamWhale · Oct 21, 2019

quattro said:
Why do you see great big plants grow out of a crack in concrete

I don't know. Whats the answer then?

(Actually the only good answer I have is it probably germinated in July/ early august and doesn't have to worry about yielding)

Wombat · Oct 21, 2019

Fish said:
Yes, it's the plant equivalent of sheep.

Haha that made me laugh and I feckin hate both

Gong Farmer · Oct 22, 2019

quattro said:
Why do you see great big plants grow out of a crack in concrete

Oh great. Another idea for a trial. I'll talk to the trials teams.

Brisel · Oct 22, 2019

Fromebridge said:
Oh great. Another idea for a trial. I'll talk to the trials teams.

The road verges around here have had fibre ducting dug in over the last couple of years. Those verges have grown the best looking rape plants I've seen for years! The slipstream of passing lorries will dislodge any pests & I'm sure nitrous oxides from the exhausts and a bit of roads salt has fed it well. If the roads were wider than 35 ft I'd have take the combine down there in July... Suggest that to the trials team too, will you?

There's a swear filter in TFF, but I'm sure if you type their reply we will get the gist of what they said.

Kiwi Pete · Oct 22, 2019

quattro said:
Why do you see great big plants grow out of a crack in concrete

It's nearest 38 billion neighbours aren't rape plants?

Kiwi Pete · Oct 22, 2019

quattro said:
Why do you see great big plants grow out of a crack in concrete

It's nearest 38 billion neighbours aren't rape plants?

Badshot · Oct 22, 2019

SilliamWhale said:
Keep seeing fields of osr melt away from me. Its not slugs but its a lack of hardiness and vigour within them.

Plenty of broadleaf weeds can grow but Osr @ 3kg acre is just not able to grow with much joy.

Is the plant too far removed from its ancestors at our expense?

Even the flea beetle rampage makes me wonder. Would wild plants in the same family be similarly hammered?

Tried clear field?
Could be a build up of su chemistry.
Clear field isn't affected.
What's your rotation history?

Bogweevil · Oct 22, 2019

quattro said:
Why do you see great big plants grow out of a crack in concrete

No herbicide, all herbicides adversely affect plants to a greater/lesser degree. But weeds affect them worse of course.

quattro · Oct 22, 2019

I wish I’d took a pic of the ones im referring to there was a 10ft lane in between the yard and a field of osr
I find it strange every thing you don’t want to grow grows like mad and big strong plants
eg thistles dockens nettles whin bushes also volunteer cereals grow stronger plants in other crops
should maybe be trying to grow a blend of combinable crops and then put it all through a dresser

Bogweevil · Oct 22, 2019

SilliamWhale said:
Keep seeing fields of osr melt away from me.....d wild plants in the same family be similarly hammered?

What do the roots look like? Answer usually lies in the soil.

Wild brassicas native to European coasts and are wiry and resilient and highly adapted to local climate. Long and slow to breed that robustness back into crop brassicas though .

Breakthru · Oct 22, 2019

quattro said:
Why do you see great big plants grow out of a crack in concrete

They don't have any seed treatment is a big clue.
Germination percentage usually quoted pre-treatment.
Did tramline trials many years ago. Untreated appeared in 2-4 days, cruiser 3-5 days and the standard at that time 7-8 days. Percentages including volunteers in the rows 101, 96, 82%.
Try it yourself.
Remember the spring rape problem years ago. It was 2.
too deep too shallow too dry too wet but nobody mentioned too much antagonistic seed dressing.

Have we bred OSR to lose hardiness?

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100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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