Applying late season foliar urea to oilseed rape has become an important part of the nutritional management of high yielding crops of oilseed rape across the UK.
Application of foliar urea results in a yield increase of 0.2-0.35t/ha, according to the HGCA Oilseed Rape Guide and reports from the Technology Strategy Board plus industry partners.
In the trials carried out by ADAS, foliar urea manufacturers and agricultural distributors, the benefits of applying foliar urea to oilseed rape in a range of situations and over a number of years have therefore been well documented and in the HGCA Oilseed Rape Guide, foliar application of nitrogen is recommended on all Oilseed Rape crops, subject to the cost of the treatment versus the value of the crop.
For a similar cost as foliar urea, OMEX Oilseed Extra has been shown to provide at least double the yield increase.
OMEX manufactures two bulk foliar urea products, Protein Plus and Oilseed Extra and has been monitoring applications of both for 10 years. Similar results to those reported by the HGCA were achieved following application of Protein Plus, averaging around a 0.25 t/ha yield increase.
Oilseed Extra is a more complete foliar formulation, based on foliar urea but containing magnesium, micronutrients and a biostimulant.
Oilseed rape is one of the most responsive combinable crops to micronutrient applications and it is also widely accepted that many combinable crops respond to foliar applications of magnesium during the late spring/early summer.
Trials carried out with Oilseed Extra by OMEX and distributors have clearly shown that applying a more complete range of nutrients can increase the benefit of foliar nitrogen significantly.
OMEX Oilseed Extra applied over nine consecutive seasons of trials increased yields by an average 0.61 t/ha
Yield increase, in t/ha, following application of foliar urea and Oilseed Extra
After the end of flowering, the crop arguably has its most important period of growth ahead, but nutrient uptake from the soil declines rapidly at this stage.
By feeding the crop through the canopy with a targeted dose of nitrogen plus magnesium, micronutrients and biostimulant, trials have shown over double the yield increase that can be achieved from application of foliar nitrogen alone.
The crop this year generally shows great potential and by applying OMEX Oilseed Extra after flowering to boost seed fill, growers should be able to ensure crops reach this potential and achieve a yield increase of over 0.5 t/ha.