The 2024 winter oilseed rape list was published recently. Five varieties make the cut.

DK Expansion, Ambassador and Aurelia are all fully recommended, while Dart and LG Aviron are provisionally recommended.

LG Aviron is well ahead on yield with a relative yield score of 108. Aurelia follows at 102, Dart at 101 and the remainder at 100. All are hybrid varieties.

DK Expansion stands out for resistance to shedding.

The two provisionally recommended varieties score an eight for resistance to light leaf spot. The varieties are pretty well matched otherwise. DK Expansion is tall at 144cm, followed by Ambassador at 137cm, Dart and LG Aviron at 136cm each and Aurelia at 132cm.

New varieties

The recommended list tends to be behind on varieties, as the oilseed rape harvest and planting seasons are so close together, so the list comes out almost a year after harvest.

For that reason, some varieties well on their way to the fields for planting do not make the lists.

LG Aukland is reported to have massive yield potential and yields 8% higher than Ambassador. DK Exposé has both turnip yellows virus resistance and shatter resistance. It has good stand, high yield potential and very good growth.

Murray and LG Academic are coming down the line as well.

Murray claims good resistance to lodging and a relative yield of 113 in Department trials in 2023. LG Academic has pod shatter and turnip yellow virus resistance. It scored 109 on relative yield in Department trials.

LG Armada is another variety on the way with the Sclero-Flex gene, which provides tolerance to the disease. Sclerotinia can cause stems to rot and cause yield loss of 50%.

Clearfield

If you have a brassica weed problem on your farm, then you need to look at using a Clearfield variety.

Clearfield varieties allow brassica weeds, such as mustard, shepherd’s purse, charlock or volunteer oilseed rape, to be controlled in oilseed rape crops. However, they do yield less than other varieties. Tim O’Donovan of Seedtech placed the yield hit at 0.25t to 0.50t/ha.

Beatrix looks like a good variety in the Clearfield range, with stem canker and turnip yellow virus resistance.

You can read more on cereal and bean varieties in this week's paper, which will have a Focus on varieties with all the information from the recent open days.