OSR Varieties

[Bovril]

Nearly time for drilling...

What conventional varieties have people liked this year? Especially looking for a strong variety that can withstand and grow away from beetle and pigeon damage.

This year I grew Django, Campus, Elgar and DK Exalte. Liked Campus best, but Django was very similar. I found Elgar grew well in the autumn, but didn't get going in the spring, leaving it vulnerable to pigeons, which ate there fill and did lots of damage. The DK Exalte did well, very tall (6'), but wont be growing hybrid unless the seed drops in price drastically.

I've HSS Django, as Campus had too many cleavers, but will be buying a couple of fresh bags for next years seed. Anyone grown Aspire or Ballard?

 

[Badshot]

I'll be planting campus and Barbados this year. Although this year's clearfield has done incredibly well, I found there wasn't enough weeds to warrant it.

 

[Clive]

Elgar from the heap agin - it will be the 4th year its been grown so maybe not 100% pure Elgar now ......... who cares ? it all does the same thing and which variety does best is a yearly lottery anyway so i'm just buying a cheap ticket !

 

[BigBarl]

Looking at the early results so far any variety with TuYV resistance is doing really well this year. Going forward this genetic needs to be in every field of OSR in my opinion. You find it in many conventional varieties though, mainly hybrids.

 

[Badshot]

Elgar from the heap agin - it will be the 4th year its been grown so maybe not 100% pure Elgar now ......... who cares ? it all does the same thing and which variety does best is a yearly lottery anyway so i'm just buying a cheap ticket !

Checked the erucic acid?
Lots of rejections now due to high.levels.

 

[Clive]

Checked the erucic acid?
Lots of rejections now due to high.levels.

Not had a problem yet - none sold this year yet though so might have spoken too soon

 

[Badshot]

Not had a problem yet - none sold this year yet though so might have spoken too soon

Just know my merchant has had quite a lot of trouble with it.
Maybe @crazy_bull can elaborate on his experiences of it.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Not had a problem yet - none sold this year yet though so might have spoken too soon

Should be ok if your parent seed was tested.

 

[SilliamWhale]

I'm going Django again for FSS. Its fine - it may not hit the heights but its good enough.

United Oilseeds were pushing one of their conventionals beginning with A but I think its sold out. I accept Hybrids yield better but only if you are sure you can get them to the end of the season and probably at the very least an extra £120/ha cost

 

[PSQ]

Will be carrying on with Anastasia for another year as it's been consistently good for 4 or 5 years now at lower seed rates. New seed every year, will be Sprinter sown at half recommended rate into Terano'd seed bed.

I was tempted to try a Clearfield variety due to HEAR volunteers and erucic acid claims last year, but it sounds like the claim is worth a lot less than the increased cost and lower yield of Clearfield varieties if this years reports are anything to go by.

 

[Brisel]

Farm saved Campus (tested for erucic acid) and some Flamingo or Ballad to breed up for the future. Minimal inputs other than uncleaned seed, a direct drill, roll twice if needs be, slug pellets & starter fertiliser. No pre ems to hold it back & one dose of insecticide at night if flea beetle start munching.

 

[T Hectares]

HSS Campus, still going strong in trials and probably the best Conventional vigour.

Might do a field of Clearfield if it seems establishment is going OK as this particular field had a load of Charlock last time, will leave ordering for a bit, I would imagine Ed there's no issue getting any seed this year...

 

[T Hectares]

HSS Campus, still going strong in trials and probably the best Conventional vigour.

Might do a field of Clearfield if it seems establishment is going OK as this particular field had a load of Charlock last time, will leave ordering for a bit, I would imagine Ed there's no issue getting any seed this year...

 

[phil]

Elgar this year 1.9-2 t
Can’t get any Aspire so Elgar again

 

[Nick.]

We’ve just been informed of claims Erucic acid on 3 loads of rape.
We’ve asked for an independent test.
But what’s worrying me is we’ve just drilled nearly 200ac off the heap without it being tested.
There were no cleavers or charlock in it.
Should I be worried about what’s in the ground ?

 

[Badshot]

If it was clean, then yes be worried.
How much of the crop was volunteer and not drilled crop though?

 

[Nick.]

If it was clean, then yes be worried.
How much of the crop was volunteer and not drilled crop though?

I can’t remember any volunteers tbh.
It was direct drilled, oils and admixture all good.

 

[solo]

Tag have just published a trial on this subject. There would appear to be a correlation between testing seed lots first before planting and rejecting those samples which fail on Eric acid. This resulted in a large reduction in the following crop being rejected. Might be worth sending a sample for seed testing then at least you will know either way.

 

[limestone brash]

how much are these claims and from which crush please?

 

[Brisel]

IIRC an erucic acid test was £49/sample at NIAB. I can't work out why folk would take these risks when one claim would pay for the test, never mind the rest of them.