DOMPTEUR was drilled at the end of August on Heathcote farms, along with other leading oilseed rape varieties. It was drilled at 2.60 kilos a hectare, along with 4.67 kilos of cover crop. Andrew Robinson, Farms Director at Heathcote Farms, explained that he aims to establish about 30 to 35 plants per square metre. “I actually don't want it too thick for us. We want to get that side branch and it's really important,” he explains.
Andrew said DOMPTEUR had a very strong start! “All the varieties were drilled on the same day, and after about 7 to 8 days, what we noticed was actually your variety came up first, which is really exciting for us because that is the big one tick, it's got to get in and get away! From an initial opening, it looks really exciting.” Andrews also adds that “so far there is no phoma to my knowledge.”
Heathcote Farms only grows hybrids as they are after the extra vigour that is needed for reliable establishment. “Germination and autumn vigour is the big one for us, followed very closely by spring vigour” says Andrew.
This is not Andrews first time growing a DSV variety, and his previous experience was extremely positive. In his words, “DSV’s Compass gave us our highest ever oilseed rape yield!”
When asked about verticillium wilt, Andrew said they have a couple of fields that are particularly bad, he adds, “some of that is, of our own making in the past, rotations were too close together for rape, until probably 2016, from then on, we’ve widened the rotation. So, oilseed rape now once only every 5 years, which hopefully should help.” He adds that the varieties are getting better which should also help the problem.
These rotations include, first wheat, second wheat, a little bit of winter barley. However, they are now sowing oilseed rape later so there is no need for winter barley. “The volunteers are very bad; they just suck the life out of the crop. The higher biomass fields, are the ones behind wheat, not behind barley,” explains Andrew.
In terms of micronutrient usages, Andrew explained that they generally tissue test before the main growth stages, send samples off, when the results come back treat accordingly. He adds that “micronutrients are really important and we give some good boron, some sulphur, and a good loading of magnesium.” He also gives them some fungicides, but states, “oilseed rape varieties like DOMPTEUR, generally have good resistance.”
Although Andrew has faced problems with flea beetle on the farm, he has never stopped growing oilseed rape. He notes, “it’s been harder and harder over the years, you can’t control it anymore, but you can manage it.” He goes on to explain the programme of events he follows to manage flea beetle, “while we're harvesting, we will put a machine in there behind the combine just to cultivate that top 2 inches and the idea of that is to kill the pupa. We try and keep the fields as far apart as practically possible, but that unfortunately, isn’t always possible. We do use organic manures, such as sludge and chicken manure to try and help and distract it. We use companion cropping; we cultivate and just actually getting really good seed soil contact.”
He adds, “we did a few years of direct drilling, but we’ve gone back to cultivating. We put a leg in this time, and the rape looks incredible, it looks fantastic. Every variety, every acre, you know, it's all wall to wall rape, which is great and I think it is partly because we have put a leg through it, especially since the field is very wet. In previous years we’ve had whole patches of purple leaves, which we haven’t see this year so the leg has definitely helped.”
So far there have been no slug issues and very little pigeon activity, which is unusual for the area, but very welcomed by the farm director as this has allowed crops to establish well with little intervention needed.
Although final performance will ultimately be judged at harvest, so far DOMPTEUR is performing well at Heathcote Farms and will be one of the most exciting crops to watch progress.