VIDEO: Low-biomass OSR proves popular

Farmers Weekly Interactive (UK)
James Andrews
Tuesday 20 April 2010 11:06

The trend for breeding low biomass hybrid oilseed rape varieties appears to be gathering speed, as James Andrews discovered on a recent trip to Monsanto's Boissay breeding station in France.

Excellent disease resistance is the latest farmer-friendly trait to be added as low biomass oilseed rape varieties continue to improve. Growers have found the reduced bulk of low biomass conventional varieties such as Castille and ES Astrid are much quicker and more efficient to harvest, and their shorter, stiffer straw reduces lodging risk.

These characteristics have been transferred to low biomass hybrid varieties, sometimes known as semi-dwarfs, by breeders including Monsanto, which markets it's oilseed rape varieties under the Dekalb brand.

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