Volunteer Oilseed Rape

Brassica napus ssp. Oleifera

Volunteer Oilseed Rape

Oilseed rape is an annual dicotyledon. Volunteers from a previous crop of oilseed rape are a common sight in most arable rotations but these need to be controlled to prevent yield loss and harvest contamination.

Volunteer Oilseed Rape

Volunteer Oilseed Rape Facts At-A-Glance

Leaves and flowersLeaves are hairless and have a waxy coating which sometimes give a blue green appearance to the plant. Oilseed rape can be in excess of one meter tall, branches grow out of the main stem with bright yellow flowers, later producing seed pods which contain small round black seeds.
Number of seeds produced per plant10,000
Seed shedJuly and August
Germination periodAugust to October, March to April
Germination depthUp to 8cm
Primary dormancyNone
Does it have a secondary dormancyYes
Seed longevity9 years
Factor promoting germinationdark
Rate of seed decline with cultivations20%
Geographical locationOilseed rape is grown as a crop in most of the arable areas of the UK
Soil typeOilseed rape thrives on fertile soils which are disturbed frequently but will grow in most conditions.
ImpactAt harvest of an oilseed rape crop an average of 5000 seeds/m² can be lost, this can vary between 2000 and 10,000 seeds/m² depending on a range of factors.

A single volunteer oilseed rape (OSR) plant m² can result in a yield loss of 0.74 to 1.61% in wheat.
Herbicide resistanceTolerance to Imazamox in Clearfield varieties

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