At Shaw Hill Farm, Kirkbrideclose to the Solway Firth in Cumbria, JG & DE Hodgson have enjoyed theirmost productive oilseed rape year ever, from 34ha of DK Exception combined inthe nick of time before the August rain brought harvest to a two-week halt.
5.2t/ha over theweighbridge, the European blockbuster variety rewarded the attention to detailthey and their Agrovista agronomist, Steven Gate always put into it, despiteinevitable early flea beetle concerns.
“Moisture is never an issueup here,” Vaughan Hodgson observed. “And we min till poultry manure into ourbarley stubbles immediately ahead of drilling with our Horsch Express. This isvery effective at conserving moisture at depth while weather-proofing siltyground that’s so vulnerable to capping.
“We certainly didn’t escape without flea beetle grazing, but our establishmentsystem and the vigour and speed of DK Exception’s early development meant thecrop accelerated away from damage and never looked back. With a very proud cropand N Mins showing plenty of residual nitrogen, we only needed a single topdressing of 250 kg/ha of nitrogen sulphur (26%N/37%S) to see it through.
“With a GAI of over 3.0 in early March, the crop required more in the way ofgrowth regulation than fertilisation,” Steven Gate noted. “Which is just theway we like it. We grow the variety for its vigorous establishment, and drilledit at just 35 seeds/m2 on land we know gives us a good establishmentrate. This ensures we get rapid ground cover ahead of winter followed by big,strong, well-branched plants going into flowering.
“Rapid spring growth is something we particularly appreciate in the varietytoo, allowing it to grow away from setbacks like flea beetle larvae andpigeons. Its great ability to scavenge nutrients is also a big advantage, as isits noticeable standing power and, of course, DEKALB pod shatter resistance.”
Unsurprisingly, JG & DEHodgson are drilling DK Exception again this year, although considerably laterthan the August 15 start they aim for – courtesy of the continued rain. Theyand Steven are, however, secure in the knowledge that the variety’s growthhabit makes it well-suited to sowing into early September.