The response of winter oilseed rape to diverse foliar fertilization

An Offline Algorithm for Site-specific Nitrogen Fertilization of Winter Oilseed Rape Based on Autumnal Canopy Nitrogen Uptake

Introduction Winter oilseed rape (WOSR) is grown in Germany on approx. 1.5 million ha (Statistisches Bundesamt 2010). Almost two-thirds of this is used as renewable resource for producing bio diesel (Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe 2011). The bioenergy policy on the EU and national level therefore have an enormous impact on the profitability of this crop. The EU Directives 2009/28/EC and 20...

Characterization of the pollen beetle, Brassicogethes aeneus, dispersal from woodlands to winter oilseed rape fields

Many crop pests rely on resources out of crop fields; understanding how they colonize the fields is an important factor to develop integrated pest management. In particular, the time of crop colonization and damage severity might be determined by pest movements between fields and non-crop areas. Notably, the pollen beetle, Brassicogethes aeneus, previously named Meligethes aeneus, one of the mo...

Verticillium longisporum – identifying resistance to a new threat in winter oilseed rape

Verticillium in oilseed rape (OSR) is known since the 1930s in Sweden and the 1980s in Germany. The pathogen, Verticillium longisporum (VL), is host-specific to the Brassica species and particularly threatens the production of OSR in intense crop rotations. In contrast to diseases induced by other Verticillium species, VL does not induce wilt symptoms in OSR but stunted growth and premature blo...

The Use of Herbicides in Biotech Oilseed Rape Cultivation and in Generation of Transgenic Homozygous Plants of Winter Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L.)

Crop Establishment Practices Are a Driver of the Plant Microbiota in Winter Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus)

Gaining a greater understanding of the plant microbiota and its interactions with its host plant heralds a new era of scientific discovery in agriculture. Different agricultural management practices influence soil microbial populations by changing a soil's physical, chemical and biological properties. However, the impact of these practices on the microbiota associated with economically importan...