WINTER OILSEED RAPE

For the first time the whole industry has come together to share OSR best practice in the form of 10 Shared Strategies for OSR Success. Here's the headlines but if you want to understand these strategies further, head over to the web page linked below.

1. Ditch the date - Sow early or late to avoid peak beetle migration – do not stick to traditional calendar dates.
2. Chase perfection at establishment - Always wait for adequate moisture before sowing, use the best seed, promote good seed-to-soil contact, ensure adequate nutrition and select varieties with appropriate vigour for the sow date.
3. Keep your distance - Any distance (space and time) between previous and current crops will improve the chance of success – every metre helps.
4. Improve larval tolerance - Fewer, bigger plants will stand up better to larval attack and reduce long-term pest pressures.
5. Make use of muck - Organic materials can disrupt beetle attack and support crop growth.
6. Park the pyrethroids - Resistance is real – sprays can do more harm than good.
7. Create companions - Companion cropping and intercropping can shield crops from CSFB.
8. Build brassica buddies - Use sacrificial strips of brassica (e.g. turnip rape) or OSR volunteer trap crops to lure beetles away.
9. Stir it up after harvest - Lightly cultivating OSR stubble soon after harvest may reduce emerging CSFB.
10. Unlock hidden gems - From stubbles to silica, priming to predators – stack as many tactics as possible.

View the 10 strategies in more detail here.

United Oilseeds offers growers the UK's market-leading oilseed rape portfolio, with all the best performing hybrid and conventional varieties from the AHDB Recommended Lists.

Our extensive technical knowledge and logistical expertise mean we always ensure growers select the ideal seed variety for their individual needs and deliver it to them on the farm and on time.

This powerful combination of comprehensive seed knowledge and outstanding customer service has resulted in United Oilseeds growing to become the country's market-leading OSR seed supplier, with a 30% share of the UK market.

Our close relationship with all the major seed breeders gives us unrivalled product insight and the ability to provide growers with the right variety at the right time.

With so many different varieties available, choosing the one most suitable for you can seem a little confusing. But, whilst we can source any seed variety you may wish, our independent and impartial advice will help you match the ideal variety to your individual needs, growing conditions, and region.

Whether you are looking to increase your crop's yield or oil content, require improved disease resistance, standing power or earliness of flowering, United Oilseeds has the perfect variety to meet your needs.

Our large seed trading volume means that we provide the best varieties to growers at the most competitive market prices. Members also have their seed trading with United Oilseeds taken into account for our annual profit share.

Wherever possible, United Oilseeds produces and processes its own supply of seed crops and carry out independent inspections to ensure that each crop meets the very highest standards.

In order to ensure maximum yield and productivity from your crops, United Oilseeds recommends that all growers should use certified seed.