Estonian farmer celebrates rapeseed birthday

Article authors: Allar Kade Kade (Regional Manager for Estonia of the Rapool-Ring Representation in the Baltic States) and Rene Brand (RAPOOL?International?Product Manager).

Winter rapeseed has with 75.000 ha not only a leading function as breaking crop in intensive cereal crop rotations, also the high economic benefit guarantees the long-term success of Estonian famers. But the challenging climate conditions requires a robust variety package for profitable productions.

Therefore, RAPOOL Baltic test their portfolio year by year under practice conditions in collaboration with our customers respectively “lighthouse farmers”. Next to development before winter, overwintering, lodging resistance or susceptibility against several diseases belongs yield stability to the leading factors, which are in focus. Estonian farmers underline again, rapeseed can “celebrate” his birthday without further yield drop!?

Based on a trustful collaboration with Sadala Agro RAPOOL Estonia can look backwards on a longterm history with many important respectively informative demo trials during the last years. Sadala Agro is located in the East part of Estonia, around 60 km north of Tartu. The farm has 1.500 ha of rapeseed in their rotation and reached with 4,0 t/ha in an outstanding yield level, as the average yield is forecasted to 2,5 t/ha based on last figures from MARS Bulletin (August 2022). The common demo trial 2022 include 36 hybrids from RAPOOL and a further market relevant competitor.

With a big machinery park the demo trial was harvested last Sunday, 4th of September and a vegetation period of more than 360 days. The yield figures between 2,6 t/ha and 4,5 t/ha underline a big variance respectively a wide specific variety reaction on the regional growing conditions (n = 28 hybrids). The several pictures below confirm this impressively.

The leading hybrid under these challenging conditions with harsh winter and late harvest was our hybrid DOMINATOR with 120 rel. yield, followed by PARCOURS (119 % rel.), AKILAH?(114 % rel.) and DESPERADO (112 % rel.). Based on the well-known robust RAPOOL genetic our hybrids realised in average +0,5 t/ha more yield in comparison to the tested hybrids from the market relevant competitor. A stronger impact by the soil can be neglected as MERCEDES as standard hybrid were tested twice and present with 4,3 t/ha and 4,2 t/ha twice a stable production.

Definitely a key question for our customers is the realised oil content, especially if we keep in mind the long vegetation period with more than 1 year. The final analysis made by the Scanola Baltic lab in J?gevamaa (Estonia) present high oil figures from 44,4 up to 48,9 % with an average at 46,8 %. The strong RAPOOL portfolio realised in average with 47,0 % a strong result and underline with a plus of 0,6 % in comparison to the competitor their leading position. DOMINATOR and PARCOURS convinced next to seed yield also with attractive oil content of 47,6 and 47,7 %. ?

Next to the conventional hybrids were also Clearfield hybrids tested. The group of modern Clearfield hybrids reached with 3,91 t/ha even a higher result than the conventional hybrids. Based on the ongoing breeding progress of the RAPOOL Clearfield breeding pipeline MATRIX CL realised with 4,26 t/ha a similar level like leading conventional hybrids and with +0,4 t/ha a clear yield plus in comparison with standard Clearfield hybrids from our portfolio.??

The demo trial 2022 with Sadala Agro underline again the meaningfulness of such trials under practice conditions.

Next to the individual variety reactions, the yield stability of rapeseed even under harsh conditions the results confirm also: RAPOOL. We know rapeseed.?