Winter oilseed rape (WOSR) is a high-value crop that requires careful nutrient management to ensure strong establishment, resilience through winter, and high yields at harvest. Bionature UK from Spaldings offers a tailored nutrition programme using smart liquid fertilisers designed to enhance root development, improve plant structure, and reduce nitrogen losses to the environment.
The autumn programme focuses on building a robust foundation for the crop before winter dormancy, ensuring plants are well-nourished and resilient to stress. Below is a standard outline programme for oilseed rape, which may need adapting depending on weather and soil conditions.
Standard Autumn Programme (Winter Oilseed Rape)
The programme below is designed to use alone, without the farmer needing DAP or autumn nitrogen applications. The oilseed rape plants respond quicker to this programme, and in trials have 40-60% larger biomass than using autumn DAP and nitrogen within six weeks of the first application.
- Apply 2.5l/ha Delta K plus 2l/ha Leodita from 2-4 cotyledon in the autumn.
- Apply 2.5l/ha Delta K plus 1 l/ha TipTop 2-3 weeks after the first application in the autumn.
- Apply 2.5l/ha Delta K with either the autumn fungicide or herbicide application.
*Early application is essential. Applying Delta Ca or K three times during the first 5 weeks after emergence (with or without insecticide) is essential as the crop goes into winter with stronger rooting and increased green leaf area.
Benefits of the Programme
- Stronger root systems
- More uniform crop establishment
- Improved branching and stem rigidity
- Reduced nitrogen losses to the environment
- Enhanced stress tolerance
- Better pod set and seed development
