Spring oilseed rape – a niche crop on its way to global attention!
Rene Brand
Internationaler Produktmanager Winterraps - Dipl. Agr. Ing. - innovativ - neugierig
Globally seen, oilseed rape (Brassica napus) is one of the most important plants to supply vegetable oil. With an annual volume of production of some 70 million tons, oilseed rape ranks among the top 3 oil plants, behind soybean and palm oil crops. While winter oilseed rape is the predominating crop cultivated on the European continent (i.e. 27 EU countries + UK + Ukraine), spring oilseeds/Canola (Canada, Russian Federation, Australia) play a dominant role when regarded from a global perspective. Both the climate change and the breeding successes achieved with respect to winter oilseed rape within the past 10 years have triggered a strong market shift of spring oilseed rape towards Eastern Europe. So, is modern spring oilseed rape just a niche crop or can it be considered an attractive alternative when it comes to yield levels? The spring rapeseed breeding department of RAPOOL gives a summary of the current market situation and takes an outlook towards the year 2025.
Breeding of spring oilseed rape – from pioneering work to highly modern breeding technology
Oilseed rape as we know it now – a bright crop utilized in modern crop rotation – is a relatively new plant variety compared to wheat and other arable crops. Scientists assume that oilseed rape originates from spontaneous cross-breeding between cabbage (Brassica oleracea L.) and turnip rape (Brassica rapa L.), which might have occurred about 2.000 years ago. Winter oilseed rape became established in Central Europe, and it was as early as in the Middle Ages when it was used as an important source of vegetable oil. The oil, which is gained from the seeds, was primarily used as combustible material for oil lamps and as lubricant, and it was later utilized for numerous chemical processes. Owing to its high content of glucosinolates and erucic acid, it was employed for ensuring the nutrition of the population only in extreme situations (World War I & World War II).
It was not until new research and breeding initiatives taken in the late 1950s that oilseed rape could be freed from its niche position at that time. In 1959, Canadian pioneers such as B. R. Stefansson, F. W. Hougen and R. K. Downey found the first rapeseed plants without erucic acid by discovering the spring oilseed rape variety of “Liho“, which originated from Germany (see figure 1). Based on this milestone, the so-called “zero“ (or “0“) oilseed rape quality (free of erucic acid) was advanced. Later in 1973, Norddeutsche Pflanzenzucht was awarded the first official registration in the national variety listing of Germany for their winter oilseed rape hybrid called “Lesira“. After successful improvement of the oil quality, new research stimuli initiated by the “G?ttinger Arbeitskreis Qualit?tsraps“ (G?ttingen Working Group for Quality Oilseed Rape) in 1969 also allowed work to be done on the deficits of rapeseed meal, which were still present. ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????
Figure 1: Advertisment of the spring rapeseed variety "Liho"
The second stage on the path towards obtaining oilseed rape varieties of the quality which we have now turned out to be a lot more difficult than working on the reduction of erucic acid (“0“ oilseed rape). The high glucosinolate content of rapeseed meal, which – with its protein content of 36% - was quite attractive, made the produce hardly suitable for being used as animal food. It was only with the help of the Polish summer rapeseed oil variety “Bronowski“ (1969) that the breeders Josefsson and Appelquist (1968), Kondra and Downey (1969), Krzymanski (1970) and Lein (1972) succeeded in finding plants with particularly low glucosinolate contents (GSL). Consequently, the variety “Bronowski“ became a crucial source for further breeding work aimed at achieving low GSL contents. ?????
It was in 1974 when the company W. von Borries-Eckendorf Saatzucht achieved a breakthrough by their success in receiving a national listing of the very first “00“ spring oilseed rape variety worldwide named “Erglu“ at the Federal Plant Variety Office (“Bundessortenamt“) of Germany. What is quite interesting to note in this context, that is the fact that this happened just a few weeks before the first Canadian “00“ variety received its approval. The ensuing challenge to cope with at that time was to adapt the market to the “00“ rape quality as it is generally known today. For this purpose, the oilseed rape breeders of Norddeutsche Pflanzenzucht (“NPZ“), Deutsche Saatveredelung (“DSV“) and Dippe (replaced by W. von Borries-Eckendorf in 1978), who worked together in the G?ttingen Working Group, founded the “RAPOOL-RING deutscher Qualit?tsrapszüchter GmbH“ (“RAPOOL Task Force of German Breeders of Quality Oilseed Rape“).
The joint collaboration within the RAPOOL Task Force rapidly led to “00“ quality of oilseed rape becoming established on the German market. Thanks to the winter oilseed rape variety “Librador“ by DSV, it was as early as in 1987 that oilseed rape with reduced glucosinolate content could be harvested on than 50% of the crop area. In the years to follow, the breeders of spring oilseed rape pooled in the RAPOOL Task Force laid their focus on a constant development of yield performance and/or of cultivar characteristics. For this purpose, NPZ designed the MSL hybrid system around the late 1980s and the early 1990s. The successful registration of the first spring oilseed rape hybrid in the national listing in 1985 then marked another milestone of breeding activities regarding spring oilseed rape varieties. As it is well known, hybrids come along with the benefit of improved robustness, which actually means that they prevail over line-bred varieties due to a consistent yield stability, in particular under stress conditions. In this context, it should be taken into account that spring oilseed rape – as opposed to winter oilseed rape – must establish a sufficiently productive plant population within a very short timeframe. In most cases, the time period between germination and start of flowering is only 7 weeks. Within this timeframe, the plants need to become established and must have developed a certain volume of vegetative plant mass in order to ensure branching and pod formation during the sprouting stage in a manner as efficient as possible. In this respect, modern hybrid varieties demonstrate their special benefits compared to line-bred cultivars. After DL Seeds Inc. was founded in 2008 (see section on Canada, page 7), individual breeding activities were pooled in a joint RAPOOL spring oilseed rape breeding program in 2009 with the aim to make better use of the synergies that already existed.
Subsequently, the RAPOOL spring oilseed rape portfolio could be supplemented by important cultivar characteristics, with the first Clearfield? spring oilseed rape hybrid (SALSA CL) being registered in the national listing in 2010. Later, the range of varieties was extended by the first clubroot-resistant hybrid in Europe (MENTHAL, 2014). In particular, it was the successful hybridization of Clearfield? which turned out to be a new element of efficient weed control. The comprehensive suppression of competitive weeds (mainly congeneric cruciferous plants such as jointed charlock, wild mustard or shepherd’s purse) immediately provided oilseed rape plants with a quick start which should not be underestimated. That is the reason why herbicide-tolerant cultivars have gained increasing importance, especially in Eastern Europe and in Russia. In this context, hybrid varieties show a tolerance towards imidazolinone-based herbicides (Clearfield?). ?
As soon as the Clearfield? tolerance had been successfully cross-bred into our breeding program, breeders increasingly put their emphasis on the further development of these varieties; this was done against the backdrop that there had long been a yield-specific disadvantage over conventional hybrid cultivars. However, it occurred quite early that we as Rapool task force recognized the Clearfield? feature as an important goal of breeding efforts, and that is why we succeeded in obtaining a national listing for hybrid varieties that had been improved step by step through ongoing further development (see diagram 1).
Diagram 1: RAPOOL, Clearfield trials conducted on spring oilseed rape in 2019, n=5 sites, relative yield compared to SALSA CL.
In addition to the further development of variety-specific features, conventional hybrids could also be advanced in a significant manner as far as yield and stress-tolerance were concerned. Alongside with the improvement of vegetative growth, plant health was also boosted in a sustainable fashion. Thanks to constant cross-breeding of genetic material from Australia, the important feature of early ripening could be maintained all the same, thus – on the one hand – improving the plant-specific stress tolerance and – on the other hand – ensuring high yield reliability.
However, how can all these goals be achieved? Today’s modern hybrid varieties are based on the use of most recent technologies on various levels of breeding activities. Thanks to specific markers, not only can pre-defined characteristics be addressed in a specific manner when conducting genomic selection, but it is also possible to perform a selection for these features. This supports breeders in filtering undesired candidates out right away, especially at the beginning of new cross-breeding or backcross efforts. One method which is now well recognized in spring oilseed rape breeding is the so-called “speed breeeding“ technology. Thanks to being cultivated in automated greenhouses, up to 4 generations of oilseed rape can be obtained per year, with cost-efficient LED lamps being used here (see picture below).
However, progress has not only been achieved when it comes to individual plants; breeders also make use of modern technologies when conducting their breeding efforts on the field. Nowadays, “digital phenotyping“ is done with the help of GIS applications for GPS-assisted work activities on the field (such as sowing etc.) and/or by using drones in order to allow a quicker evaluation under field conditions. In addition to the collection of yield-related data via plot combine harvesters, quality characteristics such as oil and protein contents are examined in internal Rapool laboratories (NIRS).
Modern hybrid cultivars of spring oilseed rape such as the variety “LAKRITZ“ are based on a proper interplay of these new breeding technologies and are therefore part of the most recent generation of stress-tolerant hybrids. That is why they deliver a convincing performance thanks to their high yield potential (see diagram 2) and a well-balanced set of the most important agronomic features, especially under adverse growth conditions.
Diagram 2: RAPOOL, trials on spring oilseed rape conducted in 2019, n=5 sites, relative yield compared to TRAPPER.
Breeding of spring oilseed rape by Rapool – new hybrids for plug-and-play use
European breeding activities in connection with spring oilseed rape are preferentially aimed at obtaining new Clearfield?-tolerant and/or conventional spring oilseed rape hybrids. Since 2016, RAPOOL has been able to resort to a separate site located in the south of Denmark (Hellevad) for their spring oilseed rape breeding efforts, in addition to the main sites based in Hohenlieth and Asendorf (Germany). Prior to their market launch, the new candidates are subject to comprehensive performance tests (see picture 2) with regard to yield performance and regional climatic and location-specific influences. In order to meet the constantly growing demands in Eastern Europe, these new candidates are directly tested on site under local conditions to an increasing extent, thus allowing spring oilseed rape breeding activities by RAPOOL to deliver both high-performance and stress-tolerant hybrids for a reliable cultivation of oilseed rape.
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Picture 2: Rapool DLE trial and testing network for spring oilseed rape in Europe.
Spring oilseed rape – a crop of global importance
Despite all breeding efforts, the cultivation of spring oilseed rape has become a niche crop in Central and Western Europe in the past years. While there was still a cultivated surface of almost 580.000 hectares in 2010, there is now just a crop area of a little more than 130.000 hectares left that are used for the cultivation of spring oilseed rape, with a declining trend. What is the reason for this??
On the one hand, it is quite certainly the discontinuation of insecticide seed treatment (neonicotinoids) that needs to be mentioned here. A reliable protection against the cabbage stem flea beetle (Phyllotretra ssp.) and other pests constitutes a highly important issue during the time when the plant population is getting established. In addition, the increasing effects of the climate change make it harder to ensure successful cultivation in Central Europe. The flowering time, which starts at a later point in comparison to winter oilseed rape, may shift towards long-lasting periods of drought and spells of hot weather, so that – in most cases – the high sensitivity of the plants inevitably leads to poor bunches of pods and/or to a poorer yield performance. Apart from that, insufficient pest control carried out at the time of flowering (due to the cessation of active agents, the formation of resistance, and restrictions of application) made it very difficult to conduct reliable care of the crop, as was already the case at the time of germination. As a last point, it should also be mentioned that modern winter oilseed rape hybrids have kept confirming their increased yield-related benefits, especially in the past years (with hardly any winterkill).
The market shift already mentioned at the beginning becomes best evident when taking a look at the cultivated area for spring oilseed rape in Russia. Reversely to the development of spring oilseed rape in Europe, the cultivated area has doubled there in the last 10 years. While we still had a crop area of some 700.000 hectares in 2011, spring oilseed rape is cultivated on a crop surface of over 1.400 million hectares in Russia in 2021, thus having turned into one of the most attractive “cash crops“ there (see diagram 3).
Diagram 3: Development of cultivated area for spring oilseed rape among EU 27 countries +UK and Russia from 2010 to 2021; source: Eurostats, Ministry of Statistics and Ministry of Agriculture in Russia, RAPOOL.
While Canadian breeders were still a few weeks behind schedule compared to their German peers when submitting an application for the registration of their first “00“ oilseed rape variety named “Tower“ (an oilseed rape cultivar bred by Dr. Baldur Stefansson) in 1974, the Canadian market presents itself as the most important oilseed rape/Canola market worldwide, with a crop area of 9.0 million hectares in 2021 (see diagram 4).
Today, the Canadian market looks back on a success story of more than 30 years when it comes to hybrid breeding. After the first noticeable market launch in 1995, the market share of hybrid cultivars could be gradually increased to 100% in the past 20 years. Compared to the European market of spring oilseed rape, the emphasis on the Canadian Canola market is placed on transgenic, herbicide-resistant hybrid varieties. While the Canola market was divided among Liberty-Link (glufosinate), Roundup-Ready? (glyphosate) und Clearfield? (imidazolinone) at the beginning of the era of transgenic herbicide tolerance, it is Liberty-Link (with a market share of 65%) and Roundup-Ready? (with a market share of 25%) which have a dominant market position today. In addition to variety-specific characteristics such as herbicide tolerance or resistance against stem canker (or blackleg disease = Phoma lingam), there is another resistance which is gaining more and more importance, and that is resistance against clubroot (Plasmodiophora brassicae). Intensive Canola cultivation in the Canadian Plains accelerated the spread and pathogenic importance of this soil-borne pest. After the successful market launch of the first clubroot-resistant CR hybrid in 2009 (45H29 by Pioneer), the market share of clubroot-resistant hybrid varieties could be increased in the ensuing years, reaching a level of 65% in 2021.
Since 2008, the companies DSV and NPZ as shareholders of RAPOOL have been collaborating within the framework of the DLS spring oilseed rape program. Breeding activities are conducted at DL Seeds Inc. in Morden and Winnipeg in the Canadian region of Manitoba, carried out with the help of more than 30 employees.
Diagram 4: Canada, development of Canola cultivated area, yield and cultivars evaluated between 1986 and 2020; source: AAFC + DL Seeds Inc.
Australia – an important genetic pool for early ripening
Australian spring oilseed rape significantly differs from global spring oilseed rape markets by how it is cultivated in the winter months. Historically seen as well as based on regional site and climate-related influences (specific weed flora, high temperatures, drought), the market still focuses on early ripening and triazine-tolerant hybrids in view of those areas affected by low to intermediate quantities of precipitation. The company NPZ has been conducting breeding activities in Australia for 20 years already. For the above-specified reasons, the development of spring oilseed rape hybrid varieties with early flowering and ripening times is an essential objective of the breeding work within the Australian genetic pool. Thanks to the performance of country-internal breeding activities, hybrid cultivars are not only being developed for the Australian market, but also for South Africa and South America, which are countries with similar climatic conditions. In addition to that, very early matrilines are also devised in order to be included in the European breeding program for spring oilseed rape. These “early“ hybrids resulting from such activities primarily enter the markets on the northern hemisphere, both in North Africa and in the cropping areas of Russia and Kazakhstan, which are characterized by continental climatic conditions.
Outlook – what do we can expect in the years to come?
Today’s spring oilseed rape/Canola enjoys increasing attention worldwide. The various breeding programs conducted in Canada, Europe or Australia have gradually improved not just the mere yield-related performance, but also additional important cultivar characteristics. In this respect, the European pipeline of spring oilseed rape varieties shows a constant increase in yield by up to 1.5% per year, apart from attractive hybrid varieties included in this pipeline. This progress is also supported by associated cultivar-specific characteristics: To that effect, genetic material from Australian varieties is systematically used for cross-breeding purposes in order to improve the inherent resistance to Phoma infections.
Breeding activities continue to aim at the development of clubroot-resistant hybrids. In this context, special attention is being paid to early blooming and/or ripening while ensuring a high reliability in terms of yields. Moreover, we have realized in the past years that growers have been expressing a stronger demand for hybrid varieties with burst-resistant pods. Breeders of spring oilseed rape at RAPOOL have a very close eye on this development. Thanks to specific selection techniques and procedures, new candidates are systematically screened within the framework of separate internal testing procedures. Thus, we as innovative oilseed rape breeders continue to lay an important foundation for a reliable cultivation of spring oilseed rape, especially in regions of Eastern Europe that are characterized and affected by dry summers.
René Brand (RAPOOL PM International)
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3 年Excellent article...well done!