Disease warning for oilseed rape

CONCERNS are growing over a rise in diseases in tillage land due to the level of brassicas being used in catch crops for GLAS, agri-advisors have warned, writes

Brassica mixes, particularly leafy turnip and rape, account for around 90pc of the area sown to catch crops, mainly due to cost.

However, ITCA consultants are advising farmers to avoid these where the rotation includes oilseed rape.

There are concerns it may lead to major rotational problems in the future with club root, sclerotinia and nematodes, which are a threat to the major alternative crop of oilseed rape.

The ITCA pointed out that oilseed rape has the greatest potential for expansion. However, any potential expansion in this crop will be seriously compromised with the level of brassicas used in catch crops.

Richard Hackett, a north Dublin-based agronomist, warned that clubroot is already being seen in the crops just a few years into the GLAS programme and is becoming a “major problem”.

“What will happen is that it will rule out oilseed rape for 10 to 15 years — it is not a theoretical problem, it is being seen. It will also rule out any brassica vegetable crop such as cabbage or cauliflower,” he warned.

Mr Hackett pointed out the specification needed to be changed as the benefits from “catch crops is marginal”, with brassicas most common as it was a cheaper mix of seeds. In addition, he pointed out the wild bird cover was turning out to be laden with “weeds”.

“Weed control is a huge problem and it will need some amending to the specification,” he said. “Farmers don’t like looking at it and the department won’t like it either when they see the mess of weeds.”