While margins from beans have been disappointing in some years margins, the following year always compensate.

The harvest risk with oilseed rape has been largely overcome with shed-resistant varieties and can in some years enable you to skip on pre-harvest glyphosate and pod seal agents — management by ‘the brave or foolhardy’?

The Department has 24 oilseed rape varieties in National List trials. The yield of the control varieties has increased from around 4.5 t/ha 10 years ago to 5.5 t/ha in recent years; most if not all of that may be attributed to plant breeding.

We have three varieties fully recommended in the winter oilseed rape list for 2021. All three have good shedding resistance and light leaf spot resistance.

Varieties likely to make the list in the next few years are Ambassador, Artemis and Aurelia and PT279 cl, which is a Clearfield variety.

Anastasia is a conventional variety and both Aquilla and DK Expansion are hybrids, which bring vigour and are best if sowing conditions are difficult or late.

While there are no Clearfield varieties on the list, they bring the option of sowing rape into land that has charlock.

A new variety, Aurelia, brings resistance to turnip yellows virus.

The most critical management of oilseed rape is prevention of flea beetle damage. Monitor crops carefully from germination to four true leaves, bearing in mind that all it takes for a crop to be wiped out is one day of bright sunshine and flea beetles.

Traps consisting of a yellow tray with water and a drop of detergent help with early detection but will not replace crop walking on sunny days and spraying with pyrethroid when ‘shot holes’ appear in leaves.

While the winter barley recommended list is not finalised, it is likely that most of the current varieties will remain and possibly be joined with Joyau and KWS Tardis. Joyau will have around 8pc of the total seed of winter barley and has BYDV resistance.

If you are sowing early, in a BYDV-prone area, Joyau deserves serious consideration. It is not a variety for marginal soil conditions. Typical yield losses due to BYDV are 5pc, but in UK trials, up to 80pc yield losses have been recorded where BYDV-carrying aphids were introduced into crops.

The six-row hybrids have slipped a little in yield compared to conventionals. That may be partly due to the fact that they are being sown into more marginal conditions.

Belfry will have 14pc of seed availability and will probably show the highest yield potential.

Bazooka (2pc) is favoured by farmers who have a greater interest in straw and who understand growth regulation.

Of the two-row conventionals Cassia (15pc) continues to perform well on farms but needs plenty of attention and fungicide for rhyncosporium control.

LG Castings (27pc) is prone to straw breakdown and is weakish on rhyncosporium. Valerie (10pc) is an early ripener and has good all-round disease resistance.

We are still at the early stages on the winter wheat harvest, and we have a while to wait before getting a recommended list.

For those farming in wetter areas who intend to sow wheat, get your order in for Graham or possibly Torp if you are not concerned with yellow rust.

Another option to look at is sowing of hybrid rye. Seed supply will be tight so place seed orders asap.

In areas where lack of straw availability may cause animal welfare issues, you may still request to withdraw from the Straw Incorporation Measure, by way of an online “late amendment” to your BPS application.

 

PJ Phelan is a tillage advisor based in Tipperary; he is a member of the ACA and ITCA