Due to the lack of moisture in the ground and high temperatures, the sowing of oilseed rape was delayed this year. Farmers who decided to sow it waited for the rain, prepared the land and did this work at the end of September and the beginning of October, even though the optimal deadlines had passed.
Last year, around 35,000 hectares were sown with this crop in our country. As things stand now, due to lower prices and a dry summer, some producers have given up on this production. Those who have done the sowing say that solid investments are needed, and now they visit the plots and monitor the vegetation.
Oilseed rape demands attention
Agricultural producer from Mladeno, Slobodan Kopanja, has been sowing this crop on his plots for several years. Last year, on 26 hectares, he recorded a yield of 3.4 tons per hectare.
“This year, the sowing was mostly done after the optimal period, but after the rain, the pre-sowing preparation was well done. Oilseed rape requires attention, when it sprouts you need to visit the crop every day and so on until harvest,” says our interlocutor.
If pests appear, he warns, it must be dealt with on the same day.
“There is no production without investment. I sow it for crop rotation, it is a good starter for soybeans. The price is weaker every year, which may be the reason for the weaker interest of producers in this year’s sowing.”
It is not sown in the dust
Dr. Ana Marjanović Jeromela from the Novi Sad Institute for Crop and Vegetable Farming says that more than 20,000 hectares were sown at the end of October. The condition of the crop depends on the time of sowing.
“The farmers listened to our advice and waited for the rain, because it is not sown in the dust. “There was enough rainfall, and the temperatures were slightly lower in the initial stages of development, so now most of the crops are in excellent condition,” she says.
He notes that there is moisture in the lower part of the land, but the surface layer is a little dry. That’s why the young plants could use the rain now. He adds that some producers have carried out treatment to protect against bollworms, and there were no alarming numbers of rape wasps.
“We hope that there will be no rodent attacks this year. The long, hot, dry summer has reduced that, but producers need to be walking around their crops.”
Our interlocutor also mentions that oilseed rape is a winter plant that overcomes high temperatures during the growing season and brings a profitable yield even on poorer soils. Certainly, the first money of the year for the producers, and the land is left in good physical and chemical condition after the harvest.
Beware of gray rot and aphids
According to PSSS Sombor, in the area of the Zapadnoba district, the crops, depending on the date of sowing, are in the development phase of two to seven leaves. In several locations, the presence of symptoms of dry rot (pron. Phoma lingam) was observed, which were registered on individual plants, on older leaves.
“The inspection of the crops revealed the presence of caterpillars of the rape wasp (Athalia rosae) as well as laid eggs, but in a very low intensity. The presence of pests was observed in crops in which no insecticide treatment was carried out in the previous period,” the service said.
In crops that are in the stage of up to seven leaves, due to the well-developed leaf mass, the caterpillars of this pest cannot cause major damage. Where two to four leaves were developed, the presence of laid eggs of the rape leaf wasp was observed. In these crops, it is recommended to continue visiting and monitoring the presence of this pest and, if necessary (in case of reaching the harmfulness threshold), carry out an insecticide treatment.
The presence of aphids (Aphididae) in the examined crops has not been determined yet, but the current weather conditions are suitable for the appearance and development of aphids.
“Given that aphids are vectors of viruses, the turnip yellow virus is important for the oilseed rape crop, it is necessary to continue with crop visits in order to determine the presence of aphids as well as their number”, warn PSS Sombor experts.
Source: Agroclub
Source: energetskiportal.rs
