Despite recent challenges to growing oilseed rape, it still offers a really viable option to the rotation, according to David Bouch, Hutchinsons national seed manager.

With oilseed rape planting decisions for this autumn in the offing, some growers might decide to take a step away, he said. This followed an uncertain winter period where flea beetle, pigeon damage and the effects of frost and winter kill had adverse effects on the crop in some regions.

READ MORE: Enhance Crop Performance with Proper Sprayer Preparation

He added that, with this in my mind, the OSR market could remain static or might even decline a little. "I think we can safely assume it will not run away and must therefore remain in the circa 415,000ha bracket at best," he said.

With challenging decisions to make on which variety to grow, here are his considered suggestions for making the best of any opportunity.

Hybrids

Hybrid varieties offer the best case for establishment and indeed the key traits for the growing season.

Aurelia will remain popular and is currently the market leader, but I think that newcomer to the list Attica offers a little more across the board whilst also being a better option for the north.

Aviron, too, will remain a key variety with its traits and its excellent vigour in both autumn and spring making it suitable for later drilling. The new candidate, Academic, will offer greater gross output and again better northern performance than Aviron, whilst delivering a gross output on par with Attica.

READ MORE: OSR harvest – Check crop with the pod test before dessicating

All four varieties have TuYV resistance and pod shatter coupled with RLM7 phoma resistance. Aviron offers the best light leaf spot resistance of the four.

Other hybrid variety options include Vegas, from LSPB, newly added to the Recommended List, which has the best disease resistance on offer with 8 for LLS and 9 for phoma. It does not have TuYV resistance or pod shatter, but does have RLMS phoma genetics, offering a different option for crop management.

Pioneer have PT303 and PT312, both offering TuYV resistance and sclerotinia tolerance. PT312 possibly has the edge based on oils (47.6%) and this could have a significant benefit at time of sale, as will strong scores for standing ability. Sclerotinia tolerance has also shown a 15% advantage in yield in untreated trials.

DK Expose can offer the same traits as the four suggested Limagrain varieties, however without the advance in yield that both Attica and Academic are showing.

Clearfield is a simple choice for me as Matrix CL is most definitely the standout performer at this moment in time and tops the ADHB listing for this category.

Clubroot is likely to be more widely spread again and I think LG Scorpion ticks all the boxes here with excellent vigour and establishment, decent disease scores and TuYV resistance.

Conventionals

Conventional varieties will still be grown and remain in favour for the home saved seed market.

Here my picks are Acacia, KWS Campus, in its10th year and still remarkably consistent and Annika, for those who want the TuYV trait in a conventional variety (although I believe the trait is better served by the hybrid offer).

The above varieties tick all the boxes for the various market sectors, but not having ‘your eggs all in one basket’ should be adhered to where possible and certainly hybrids, my preferred route to both establishment and traits, offer more than one management tool.

The biggest single consideration remains the conditions at time of planting! If soils are warm and more importantly, there is sufficient moisture, then oilseed rape still provides a viable option in any crop rotation.