Working east-facing farmland at about 200m above sea-level can be challenging; autumn weather can be very wet, and soils slow to warm up in the spring.

As a result, the Preece’s have hard and fast rules on strategy, but make decisions according to conditions on the land at the time.

On the recommendation of James Hood of United Oilseeds, last year they followed early-maturing wheat variety Graham with oilseed rape hybrid LG Aurelia, and they are very pleased with the result so far.

LG Aurelia is one of the highest yielding hybrid varieties on the 2020-2021 AHDB Recommended List, with an extremely high gross output across all regions of the UK at 108% over control. These levels of output are backed up by excellent agronomic characteristics; TuYV resistance, pod shatter resistance and the highest disease resistance ratings of 8 for both light leaf spot and phoma.

“We had 5-6mm of rain and planted the rape on 6-7 September, with just enough moisture to get it away. It survived well and now as we go forward in spring, it is looking very healthy,” Philip says.

“In comparison, another variety drilled just a few days later on 10-11 September had to be ripped up, as it did not have the vigour or moisture to establish.”

John & Philip Preece’s Shopshire crop of LG Aurelia OSR

Approach to drilling

Soils at Red Lion Farm are treated with sewage cake before planting first wheats. “The crops do better with the sewage cake underneath. When wheat is followed with oilseed rape, there is still some residue that helps get the crop established,” explains Philip.

“However, application of biosolids means more traffic on the land, so conditions need to be dry at application. We may look at using digestate in the future, if it is available.”

Soils are cultivated just enough to be able to drill without losing too much of the precious moisture, as this helps the crop establish more quickly. Planting is done with seed rate of 2.7kg/ha, and a starter fertiliser of 30kg/N, followed by a post-emergence herbicide.

“We prefer the later planting slot because we have found that although we have smaller plants going in to winter, it reduces the threat from cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB),”says Philip.

Even so, the Preece’s have found the need to apply an insecticide, spraying it in the evenings to mitigate the impact on the environment. “We need to adapt to changing circumstances since the loss of neonicotinoids, so quicker vigour in our oilseed rape varieties is very important.”

When choosing a variety the Preece’s look at the overall agronomy package, looking for vigour and disease resistance to stem canker and phoma.

“We are very happy with our move to growing LG Aurelia, and will definitely grow the variety again, and this year we may also try it behind spring barley.”

How important is vigour?

Beckii Gibbs, seed manager with United Oilseeds, considers vigour to be one of the most important traits in any oilseed rape variety, along with a strong resistance to disease.

“Choose a trait-loaded variety that demonstrates good autumn and spring vigour as it will help your crop grow away from flea beetle and establish quickly,” she advises. “On this basis, LG Aurelia is a true stand out variety, as it was rated the top variety for vigour in the AHDB 2019 harvest trials.”

“It is a trait-loaded variety that provides high resistance to pod shatter, TuYV, light leaf spot and stem canker – in fact it’s the only variety with a twin “8” ratings for light leaf spot and stem canker on the AHDB Recommended List 2020-21.”

“Combined with a high gross output, this variety is clearly a major step-up in oilseed rape growing.”

Farm Facts:

• Third generation
• Farm size: 285ha, 126 owned, 159ha rented
• Crops grown:
  • 100ha winter wheat (this year 70ha because of the wet autumn weather)
  • 65ha winter oats
  • 26ha sugar beet (fluctuates on rotation between 26-30ha according to the rotation)
  • 80ha spring barley
  • 26ha winter oilseed rape (planted 40ha, but ripped up 14ha of Incentive)
• Typical weeds: Black-grass, broad-leaved weeds, annual meadow grass, ryegrass, speedwell, pansies and mayweed
• Equipment: McConnell discaerator

What is Turnip Yellows Virus?

A TuYV infected plant

Turnip Yellows Virus or TuYV is a virus that belongs to the Luteoviridae family, which includes other common viruses such as barley yellow dwarf, and potato leafroll. TuYV has a wide range of hosts, including crop species (brassica vegetables, pulses etc.) and common weeds (shepherd’s purse, cleaver, thistle etc.)

What are the symptoms of TuYV?

Early in the season, the purpling of the leaves is one of the first indications (pic 1), with more severe infections resulting in dwarfing, reduced branching, leaf area and an early senescence which affect yield and oil content and, in some instances, increases glucosinolate levels.

How is TuYV spread?

TuYV is spread by Myzus persicae (peach-potato aphid).

How widespread is the problem?

Certainly, with the milder winters, high levels of TuYV infection is now common across the UK and Europe.

Can I control the risk of infection with available chemistry?

Control of the TuYV aphid vector is now limited, given the ban of Neonicotinoid seed dressing, and limited availability of foliar chemistry. We also have the additional implication of Pyrethroid resistance in aphid populations. Variation in M. persicae (peach-potato aphid) activity throughout the year and between years, makes prediction of aphid levels and therefore infestation time, very difficult – hence effective crop protection is not straightforward.

Which LG hybrids are resistant to TuYV?

All of Limagrain’s new hybrids such as; AMBASSADOR, AURELIA, ARTEMIS, LG ANTIGUA and LG AVIRON, are resistant to TuYV. We consider this trait so important to oilseed rape growers, that it has become a standard feature in all our current and future introductions to the market.

It’s the top 6 positions for breeder Limagrain UK’s oilseed rape varieties on the 2020-2021 AHDB Recommended List. In pole position sits conventional variety Acacia at 109.4% of controls, this is closely followed in by hybrids; LG Ambassador (108%), LG Aurelia (107.5%) and LG Artemis (106.6%) with conventionals Aspire (105.8%) and Aardvark (105.3%) completing the top line up.

“It’s certainly an exciting time for the Limagrain OSR breeding programme as this is the first time that any breeder has achieved this leading position with this many varieties, and is a reflection of our focus on breeding high yielding, trait-loaded varieties aimed specifically for the UK farmer,” points out Vasilis Gegas, Limagrain’s OSR European Portfolio Manager.

Acacia is the highest gross output conventional variety for the east/west and north regions , with a gross output of 109.5% and 107.6%, respectively.

“The variety is very vigorous in both the autumn and spring, combined with good disease resistance and short and stiff straw,” says Dr Gegas.

“Acacia is suited to the main OSR drilling window but is also useful in a late sown slot.”

“LG Ambassador is the first of Limagrain’s fully loaded hybrids on the AHDB Recommended List to really show the benefits of our breeding strategy,” he continues.

“This highest yielding hybrid for the east/west (Gross Output 108.4% of control) has shown itself to perform across the UK and Europe, showing the variety is resilient across a wide geographical area.”

LG Ambassador offers an outstanding package of traits associated with Limagrain’s hybrids including; TuYV resistance, pod shatter resistance and RLM7 giving the variety strong protection against stem canker resulting in a resistance rating of 8, which along with a Light Leaf Spot resistance rating of 7, ensures growers shouldn’t lose yield in unfavourable conditions.

“LG Aurelia is another of Limagrain’s fully loaded hybrids, setting a new benchmark for hybrid performance in the UK.”

Not only does LG Aurelia offer an extremely high gross output, and the Limagrain full compliment of traits such as TuYV resistance, pod shatter resistance and RLM7 against stem canker, it also offers the most robust disease resistance ratings of any variety on the AHDB recommended list with a rating of 8 for both stem canker and light leaf spot resistance.

LG Artemis is another high yielding hybrid for the east/west (106.6%) and north (106%) that once again comes with Limagrain’s standard combination of TuYV resistance, pod shatter resistance. Combined with outstanding early vigour, stiff straw, early maturity and a high oil content Artemis is certainly an interesting prospect for growers for next season.

Aspire is a conventional variety, recommended last year and offers very high gross output for the east/west and north regions – as was proven in harvest 2019 with a gross output of 105.8%.

Add to this its TuYV resistance, a strong disease profile, the opportunity to early drill, as well as short and stiff straw, and it’s clear to see that Aspire is truly a farmer friendly variety that makes for an easier harvest, with the potential to increase gross margins.

Finally, of Limagrain’s top 6 varieties on the 2020-2021 AHDB Recommended List, Aardvark is a conventional variety that thinks it is a hybrid, offering high gross output potential across all regions of the UK, with a UK gross output of 105.3% over control.

It is very vigorous in both the autumn and spring, competing with hybrids. It has short and stiff straw, as well as good disease resistance.

“This excellent agronomic package makes the variety suitable for the early and main drilling window.”

2019 Harvest results confirm value of TuYV resistance

2019 Harvest results from trials conducted by the Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) in West Wittering, showed that there was a 0.4-0.5t/ha yield advantage from varieties with TuYV resistance against those without.

Limagrain’s conventional variety Aspire, performed very well – as did the newly recommended LG Aurelia and LG Ambassador.

“In this particular trial, Aspire yielded 6.7t/ha; that’s a massive yield bonus over the 6t/ha from the non-TuYV resistant variety, Campus. LG Aurelia was just behind, yielding 6.4t/ha,” explains Peter Cowlrick, director in CCC Agronomy Ltd, who managed the trials.

In a second trial in Suffolk, the trend was the same, with TuYV resistant varieties leading the pack. LG Aurelia managed a top yield of 6.1t/ha, well above that of Campus at just above 5.6t/ha. LG Ambassador yielded just below 5.9t/ha and Aspire 5.86t/ha.

“What these results show is that with varieties such as Aspire, LG Aurelia and LG Ambassador, there is no longer the yield drag once associated with TuYV resistance – in fact, it’s quite the opposite.”

“In the south-east, where the risk of TuYV infection is very high, on some farms almost 80% of the crop going into the ground this autumn will be TuYV resistant varieties. These varieties also play an important role in IPM, as there is less reliance on insecticides, “says Mr Cowlrick.

Annual monitoring of Turnip Yellows Virus (TuYV) infection in the UK’s oilseed rape crop has shown that 84% of non-TuYV resistant crops were infected in early spring 2019 – the highest level ever recorded.

However despite this, TuYV resistant varieties; Aspire, Aurelia and Ambassador, have recorded some of the highest yields in independent trials.

Turnip Yellows Virus (TuYV) is spread by the peach potato aphid (Myzus persicae), and can impact yields by as much as 30% in highly infected situations, oil content by 3%, whilst increasing levels of glucosinolates and erucic acid.

Since 2016, Limagrain UK along with industry partners; Agrii, Openfield and the AICC, have been monitoring levels of TuYV in crops across the UK. Leaf samples are taken both in the spring and autumn and tested using the Elisa standard test.

“Results from this spring’s sampling confirm that almost all sites had an infection rate between 81-100%.”

“Many of these sites are in regions where you would expect infection levels to be high, such as in East Anglia and the south-east, however what is noticeable is that we are now seeing sites in Scotland and the south-west with these very high levels of infection,” says Dr Vasilis Gegas, Limagrain’s OSR European Portfolio Manager.

“Three years ago we would not have seen these levels in the west, which just goes to show how TuYV is becoming increasingly widespread, and is now endemic in the UK OSR crop, irrespective of region.”

Harvest results confirm value of TuYV resistance

Harvest results just in from trials conducted by the Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) in West Wittering, show that there was around a 0.4-0.5t/ha yield advantage from varieties with TuYV resistance against those with none.

“Limagrain’s conventional variety; Aspire, performed very well – as did AHDB Candidates; Aurelia and Ambassador.”

“In this particular trial, Aspire yielded 6.7t/ha; that’s a massive yield bonus over the 6t/ha from the non-TuYV resistant variety; Campus. Candidate, Aurelia was just behind, yielding 6.4t/ha,” explains Peter Cowlrick (director in CCC Agronomy Ltd), who managed the trials.

In a second trial in Suffolk, the trend is the same, with TuYV resistant varieties leading the pack. Aurelia managed a top yield of 6.1t/ha, well above that of Campus at just above 5.6t/ha. Ambassador yielded just below 5.9t/ha and Aspire 5.86t/ha.

“What these results show is that with varieties such as; Aspire, Aurelia and Ambassador, there is no longer the yield drag once associated with TuYV resistance – infact, it’s quite the opposite.”

“In the south-east, where the risk of TuYV infection is very high, on some farms almost 80% of the crop going into the ground this autumn will be TuYV resistant varieties. These varieties also play an important role in IPM, as there is less reliance on insecticides,” says Mr Cowlrick.

Why are levels of TuYV so high?

The link between high numbers of aphids in the autumn and corresponding levels of infection is clear,” says Dr Vasilis Gegas. “Infection usually occurs in September to October when aphids are still flying; the earlier a crop is infected, the less seeds/pods develop, so the harsher the yield penalty.”

Early drilled crops that are more open, corresponding with mild autumnal conditions, are at the highest risk. Since the loss of the neonicotinoids in 2016, control of aphids has become more and more difficult, so numbers have increased, with a subsequent build up of TuYV inoculum in the environment.

Once an aphid is infected, it is infected for life – if an uninfected aphid feeds on an infected plant, the aphid becomes infected and so the cycle continues.

“Last autumn, infection rates in some areas were as high as 100% which is unusual, and the impact of this is being seen in harvest results across the country.”