Agricultural Science Teachers Presentation Oilseed Rape Maize Geraldine Hynes B.Agr.Sc. H.D.B.S.

Teagasc Drystock Advisor Claremorris Co Mayo (094 ) 9371360 Dec 09

Oil Seed Rape

Source World wide source of Vegetable oil IRL `90s 6000ha – UK for processing CAP economically unattractive `05 SFP and energy premium Energy Crop Scheme €45 /ha max National top up €80/ha max 37.5 ha + demand from local bio fuel processors grown on contract Quinns Baltinglass, Glanbia Ireland 4500 ha

Rotation and Soils

 Free draining Med heavy Soil  Poor yield light /waterlogged soils  Ph 6.3  OSR Brassica crop  Previously Brassicas Club root leave 4 yrs  Previously Sugar Beet Beet Cyst eelworm leave 2 yrs  Good as break crop - Deep roots improve soil structure

Establishment

          Winter OSR Mid Aug (North) – Mid Sept (South ) 60-80seeds/m2 30-50plants/m2 in spring Allows sufficient light to base ,encourage branching and pod numbers Spring OSR Mid March - April 100-120 seeds/m2 Fine firm level seed bed depth 1.5cm

Ploughing one pass drilling In dry conditions to avoid compaction Roll - firm seed bed -Moisture retention

Varieties Spring OSR

 HGCA List UK Home Grown Cereal Authority Variety Yield % Standing Ability Straw Shortness Earliness Maturity Dorothy 97 8 8 6 Estrade Heroes Liasion Topic 98 101 98 93 7 7 7 7 7 5 5 7 7 5 5 7

Varieties Winter OSR

Osprey NK Bavour FLASH Lioness Epure Castille Daff data 3 year mean 105 Daff data 1yr results 2009 HCGA Resistance to lodging Shortness stem 103 ------ ----- Light Leaf spot 101 100 115 122 ---- ---- 108 108 100 111 8 7 8 ----- 8 7 6 7 ----- 8 ------- 6 6 6 ---- 5

Lime and Fertiliser

         PH 6.5 N 130-150kgsN/ha. P + K Soil index 3 20kgs P 35 kgs K /ha.

e.g. 400kg/ha 18 6 12 /ha and top dress post emergence with Nitrogen 50% incorporated pre sowing / Vigorous growth Remainder rosette to early stem stage Sandy soils Sulphur deficiency 20kgs.ha

Boron deficiency common especially in drought conditions Apply Bo fertilizer / Solubar spray @5-10kgs./ha.

Weed Control

 Pre sowing  Incorporate Treflan (Chickweed/Fat Hen/Speedweel  Pre emergence Trifuralin /Butisan  (Knotgrass / Mayweeds)  Post emergence  Kerb Flow grass weeds broadleaf weeds

Disease

 Phoma leaf spot (Canker ) 25% reduction in yield  Light leaf spot 50%  Sclerotina effects petals leaf stem 50%  Alternaria pod spot  WOSR I to 2 sprays of a fungicide to cover above  SOSR usually disease free

Harvesting

        End July early August 90% seeds are black

1. Desication and direct combing

weedy crops Glyophosphate products 14- 21 days pre harvest (2/3 pods are brown ) scutch/perennial weeds controled Diquat products 7-10 days pre harvest (Bottom pods Brown /black : middle reddish brown )

2. Swathing done in exposed locations

6-7weeks after the end flowering ( seeds top pods turning green to brown : middle brown : lower pods dark brown ) 7-14 days later combine seeds black Suits exposed weed free fields

Yields and Returns

Yield Tons/ha Materials Seed fertiliser sprays WOSR SOSR 2.5 - 4.3 1.7- 3.1

711 Hire Machinery Plough roll till harvest 462 Total Variable costs Gross Margin excl premia 1173 €65 500 536 380 616 €63 368

Maize

 Why grow  High in energy less meals required  Could replace 50% silage  In cow increases intake by 10%  increases milk fat and protein 3- 5%  Cattle increased performance by 10%  Easy to ensile  Utilises slurry well

Feeding value

        Protein 9%- 11 % low Grass silage 12-15% Introduce Maize Gradually Feed with long fibre hay /straw if main roughage Minerals low so balance with Maize Balancer Maize silage spoils quicker than grass Don’t ruffle feed face esp. in mild weather Slightly Cheaper /ton dm €91 versus €118 grass silage

Site Selection

 Requires 10 ° C  Ontario Heat units (based on max min temp e.g crop needs 2400 OHU from sowing to harvest  Ireland south of line from Dundalk to Fermoy back up to Galway  Outside this will grow but yield poor

Site Selection (cont`d)

 Sheltered fields  Well drained good soil  Southerly Aspect so max. sunlight &temp long growing season  Good access to facilitate slurry in Spring harvesting in Autumn  Grown continuously without rotational constraints

Variety

 Good yield  Maturity date  Lodging resistance  Disease Resistance  DAFF Recommended list

Sowing date

 Requires 10 C  Seed sown in cold soils poor emergence and vigour  April 20 th complete May 10 th  Seed rate 105,000 to110,000/ha  1acre packs Seed dressed soilborne diseases and bird repellent  Germination 90%  Plant population 100,000 above this  DM% is low and delay in maturing

Fertiliser

 Cattle /Pig slurry Ploughed in Mar/Apr  should supply most of P&K  Nitrogen 80 - 225kgs /ha.

 Phosphorous 10 - 70 kgs  Potash 100- 285kgs

Seedbed Preparations

 Has deep and flat rooted plant system  Plough Deep (10 - 13 cm )  Generally 2 passes power harrow  Firm fine tilth similar to sugar beet  Light rolling to ensure good consolation

Sowing

    

Precision drill in rows 70 -75 cm apart at a depth of 4cm in heavy soils 6 cm in light soils Too deep will delay emergence Plant at right angles to the prevailing wind to facilitate harvesting if lodged Plastic photodegradable increases temp 3.5 C in May 3.9 C in June 1.0 C in July Cost €300/ha cost effective increases dm yield increases DM content increases starch content

Weed Pest Control

        Perennial weeds Scutch/ Docks in Autumn with Round up ?? (C `ant plough grassland between October 15 and Dec1 0(Green cover 6wks) Pre emergence Cadou Star Post emergence Dow Shield/Titus Annual weeds/Broadleaf weeds Pests not problem Leatherjackets /wireworms after grass Yaltox Frit fly Yellow dead central shoot Dursban

Harvesting

         Unlike grass silage DMD does not fall rapidly DMD 68% ( range 60-72) >30 % DM hard passes through animal High DM crops corn cracker used Harder to ensile Clamp consolidation More Aerobic deterioration 27% Grain med to hard dough stage Top of grain starting to dimple Harvest Sept. _ early maturing crops Harvest Oct _ Majority varieties

Harvesting Cont`d

 Chop length 1- 1.5cm so most grains are ruptured  By varying the no blades and speed of feed roller  Generally no additive used

Cost

Maize Seed/Reseding 185 Fertilizer 364 Seedbed prep 185 Spraying slurry 36 Harvest into pit Covering 300 Total Cost /ton DM 1148 91 Grass silage 20 260 15 63 453 855 118

Maize Versus Silage

Protein % DM% DMD % Yield /ha Maize 9- 10 27-35 68 40-50 Value 1 ton Meals @ €185 40 Gras silage 12-15 19-25 60-75 24-27 25-30

Thanks For your attention