What would you do with this rape crop?

[Richard III]

Got myself in a bit of a mess with the fert on this rape crop. I kept the early fertilizer off because the crop was looking well and then applied got 47Kg/Ha on the first of april. No real rain since then, and I use liquid fert so haven't put any more on yet. Not sure how much more to give it, and worried about scorching it, no rain on the forecast either.

 

[RTK Farmer]

I'd top up to full rate (if that's possible in one pass) when leaves are dry ASAP.

 

[RTK Farmer]

PS not on a windy day!

 

[CORK]

As RTK says. To be honest, I wouldn't be awfully worried. Looks to be branched, lots of light to get down for the flowers. Will probably yield fine.

 

[Richard III]

Thanks for the replies, sounds like I'm worrying too much about crop scorch. In the past I've always managed to apply the N just before, or in the rain.

 

[David.]

Have had plenty look worse than that.

 

[Clive]

wouldn't be worried at all - put the final 40% of the N on our OSR today as liquid, its not quite as forward as yours in that pic but not miles behind

i recall research a few years back that advocated delaying the big chunk of your N gave better yields ??

 

[Clive]

Thanks for the replies, sounds like I'm worrying too much about crop scorch. In the past I've always managed to apply the N just before, or in the rain.

if your worried do it evenings and let dew wash it off

 

[Richard III]

i recall research a few years back that advocated delaying the big chunk of your N gave better yields ??

I always tend to go later with fert on wheat and rape, idea being to grow grain not straw. However there is then more chance of being caught out by a dry spell and the crop running short of N.

 

[SilliamWhale]

wouldn't be worried at all - put the final 40% of the N on our OSR today as liquid, its not quite as forward as yours in that pic but not miles behind

i recall research a few years back that advocated delaying the big chunk of your N gave better yields ??

Was mentioned by an agronomist in this weeks FW I think. N closer to seed fill. I doubt all in all it makes a huge difference. I often wonder how much worse off I'd really be year in year out if I chucked all my urea on in one dose for all winter crops.

 

[Jack Russell]

What type of liquid are you using? I wouldn't worry too much, we've just done 140 ha of our rape today that's possibly further on than that. If you've only a bit to do then do it at the end of the day as said, cooler and generally getting wetter.

 

[Richard III]

What type of liquid are you using?

Home brewed UAN.

 

[Jack Russell]

I'm sure I'll see a little scorch especially in thicker crops. We put 120kg ha of n on from a n35 product.

 

[Brisel]

Home brewed UAN.

UAN is very hot by itself unless diluted. Chafer Nuram N37 is just diluted UAN. The tanker driver takes on 80% of the load as neat UAN then they top it up with water! Next year I might buy the UAN then dilute it myself. Water is cheap enough here not to want to pay for it to be hauled from Suffolk to Dorset...

Mine all went on a while ago - a solid NS compound in mid Feb then N37 3 - 4 weeks later. The N37 scorched it as it was windy but the crop was small enough that it put new leaf & stem extension so quickly that the scorched leaves were soon hidden by new growth. I always have plenty of work for my sprayer at this time of year so mine goes on sooner rather than later on the osr.

 

[Clive]

UAN is very hot by itself unless diluted. Chafer Nuram N37 is just diluted UAN. The tanker driver takes on 80% of the load as neat UAN then they top it up with water! Next year I might buy the UAN then dilute it myself. Water is cheap enough here not to want to pay for it to be hauled from Suffolk to Dorset...

Mine all went on a while ago - a solid NS compound in mid Feb then N37 3 - 4 weeks later. The N37 scorched it as it was windy but the crop was small enough that it put new leaf & stem extension so quickly that the scorched leaves were soon hidden by new growth. I always have plenty of work for my sprayer at this time of year so mine goes on sooner rather than later on the osr.

thats a terrifying thought ! I wouldn't trust most truck drivers to do anything like that properly !

I know that S is simply added to the load by drivers as well when a S product is bought - I also know that when a truck driver is in a hurry he can't be bothered to do anything he may feel he can get away with not doing

 

[shakerator]

So that crop hasn't had any spring N washed in as such? I would be delighted with that, there are crops around here that have probably had 3 times the N of that and don't have that biomass!

Is background fertility good?

 

[Richard III]

So that crop hasn't had any spring N washed in as such? I would be delighted with that, there are crops around here that have probably had 3 times the N of that and don't have that biomass!

Is background fertility good?

Can't quite work out where all the N has come from, yes background fertility is good, but still.........
10 years out of permanent pasture, 6 years into No Till, 6t/acre of compost applied 2 years ago. Early N would have resulted in a lodged crop IMO. Much happier now I know I can squirt some liquid N on it in the dry, but guessing the right rate to go at is still a bit of an issue!

 

[shakerator]

Can't quite work out where all the N has come from, yes background fertility is good, but still.........
10 years out of permanent pasture, 6 years into No Till, 6t/acre of compost applied 2 years ago. Early N would have resulted in a lodged crop IMO. Much happier now I know I can squirt some liquid N on it in the dry, but guessing the right rate to go at is still a bit of an issue!

has it had teb or caryx?
might give you a bit of confidence to go earlier?

i was speaking to a neighbour who applied a big dollop of agrotain in march and has been very unimpressed- i dont think the N was released with such cold soils until recently

have you seen much TUYV?

 

[B'o'B]

I bet you wouldn't go far wrong with between 80-100kg/Ha N more on.

 

[fudge]

We put our N on rape earlier, but it would be interesting to know what an N sensor would make of this crop. From you photo the crop looks in good shape!

thats a terrifying thought ! I wouldn't trust most truck drivers to do anything like that properly !

I know that S is simply added to the load by drivers as well when a S product is bought - I also know that when a truck driver is in a hurry he can't be bothered to do anything he may feel he can get away with not doing

Yes but when it is delivered it comes with a weight and a s.g. measurement both can be checked quite easily.