Winter oilseed rape

Winter oilseed rape is known above all for its many uses: as food (mainly as rapeseed oil), as an industrial raw material and as animal feed. It is sown in autumn, around the turn of August/September, as the first winter crop and grows until about mid-July. The landscape during the yellow flowering in spring is particularly striking – not only attractive, but also of great value for honeybees.

Oilseed rape cultivation increased considerably after the development of double-low (00) varieties, free of erucic acid and low in glucosinolates, and with the expansion of biodiesel production. Oilseed rape is also an important preceding crop for winter wheat, as it loosens the soil and leaves nutrients behind.

Oilseed rape also plays an important role on our farm. Because of increasing pests and diseases, however, we have extended the break between rape crops to 5–6 years, so its share of the rotation is well below 20 %. Clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae) is particularly challenging: its resting spores survive in the soil for many years, which requires careful rotation planning. Unfortunately, insect problems are also increasing again, as important insecticidal seed treatments are no longer approved.