With the oilseed rape drilling campaign starting this month, the role seed treatments can play in getting the crop off to the best possible start has been highlighted.
Over the past six years, the withdrawal of active ingredients to control pests in rape has forced a re-think of the best ways to establish and protect plants.
Introducing new genetic traits has played a role, as has a better understanding of the importance of drilling dates and optimum conditions.
Pioneer, a global seed brand which is part of Corteva Agriscience, is able to provide two unique seed treatments on its varieties being shipped to UK farms this year.
Andy Stainthorpe, Pioneer sales manager, said that under current UK regulations, farmers are limited in choice from the rest of the market.
“The current situation is that anybody producing seed in the UK is treating their seed with a very limited range of products due to current regulations,” he said.
“Because we treat our seeds outside the UK in Europe, we are able to apply seed treatments that are approved in the EU on our seed and import them to the UK, giving farmers valuable options.”
Scenic Gold fungicidal seed treatment has proven effect against phoma, alternaria, downy mildew and damping off. It sets a new standard against existing solutions.
The insecticide seed treatment Lumiposa is extensively used in Europe and is an option available when looking for establishment assistance for crops challenged by a range of insect pests.
Either or both of these treatments can be specified when ordering any of Pioneer’s most popular seed varieties in the coming weeks before drilling gets under way in 2024.
“PT303, PT312, and PT315 can all have a unique seed treatment providing highly effective protection for farmers growing oilseed rape,” Mr Stainthorpe said.
PT303 Protector Sclerotinia is the first winter oilseed rape hybrid to offer growers in the UK top level yields with built-in tolerance to Sclerotinia.
PT312 provides a very high gross output yield with a very high oil content combined with turnip yellows virus resistance and Sclerotinia tolerance.
PT315, similarly to PT312, also offers high gross output yield with a very high oil content with turnip yellows virus resistance, but also combines this with podshatter resistance.
Lumiposa provides protection against many different insect species, and is particularly effective against cabbage root fly, which is known to be a significant pest across Europe.
“There is no permit for treating seeds with insecticide in the UK at the moment, so your choice is seed without an insecticide or sow with imported seeds which are treated with an EU approved insecticide seed treatment,” said Mr Stainthorpe.
“We’ve been selling imported seed treated with Lumiposa for the last several years, and farmers are always coming back to us with positive feedback on the seed’s performance.
“If you want to get your crop to harvest, then you need to do anything you can that will give your crop the best start possible."
