Rapeseed is one of the main crops in Poland. The total area of rapeseed and agrimony cultivation (including winter and spring varieties) is estimated at 846.6 thousand hectares (source: GUS). Our country is one of the leading rapeseed producers in Europe.
Purposes of rapeseed used in Poland:
- edible oil (rapeseed oil) is obtained from the seeds,
- in industry, rapeseed oil is used to make varnish,
- rapeseed oil is used to make biodiesel,
- forage plant,
- melliferous plant
Rapeseed is a dicotyledonous plant. In Polish climate, winter and spring forms of this plant are being cultivated. Depending on the region of Poland, the sowing date for winter rapeseed falls between the second decade of August and the end of the first decade of September. During this period, there are appropriate thermal conditions (minimum temperature for seeds germination is 5°C) and humidity conditions for the emergence of this plant. Moderate rainfall and warm weather accelerate the sprouting and germination of rapeseed. The optimal plant development stage, which you should aim for before winter, is 8-10 leaves, which guarantees the right amount of side shoots after wintering and starting the spring vegetation. The length and width of the root system before winter, which secures the best chance of surviving the winter, is 20-40 cm with a diameter of 1-2 cm. Winter rapeseed, well-hardened and not overgrown in autumn, tolerates winter frosts down to -20°C with a minimum of 10 cm of snow cover. It is particularly sensitive to spring frosts after the plants have hardened. Winter rapeseed may be threatened by yet another phenomenon that can lead to the plant's destruction - the occurrence of cold wind that can dry out rapeseed plants. Rapeseed that is not covered with snow during frosts may dry out due to the wind at the end of winter.
This plant is particularly demanding in terms of water, food and soil requirements. The best for its cultivation are high productivity soils, belonging to the complexes of agricultural usefulness from wheat to very good rye.
6 main development stages can be distinguished in the growth of rapeseed:
- germination and seedling, lasting from sprouting to the emergence of the first leaf, about 10-15 days,
- rosette formation, lasting in winter forms until the autumn vegetation stops, about 50-60 days,
- stem formation, lasting after the spring start, about 20-25 days,
- formation of buds, lasting 15-25 days,
- flowering, lasting about 20-30 days,
- seed formation and maturation, lasting approximately 35-40 days.
The nutritional requirements of rapeseed are as follows: with the yield of 1 t of seeds and the appropriate weight of straw, the average consumption is: 50 kg of nitrogen (N), 24 kg of phosphorus (P2O5), 50-60 kg of potassium (K2O), 50-60 kg of calcium (CaO), 8-10 kg of magnesium (MgO), 8-20 kg of sulfur (S), 60 g of boron (B), 10-40 g of copper (Cu), 100 g of manganese (Mn), 60-150 g of zinc (Zn) and 1-2 g of molybdenum (Mo).
Rapeseed is a plant that is exceptionally demanding in terms of fertilization needs and proper agricultural practices. To obtain high yields, it is necessary to adhere to the appropriate levels of soil fertilization, liming and sowing dates. However, when additionally analyzing this plant's demand for micronutrients, it is easy to see that the deficiency of micronutrients is often an element that limits the yield. In some cases, but not always, such deficiencies can be seen from the symptoms occurring in plants during vegetation. Most often, micronutrient deficiencies are hidden and difficult to diagnose, noticeable only after the harvest in the form of poor yields.
Fertilization technologies
Taking into account the different expectations of farmers in terms of crop nutrition, we have prepared for you three complete proposals for foliar fertilization.
The following technologies have been prepared in response to these expectations, in order to optimally nourish the crop and are for reference. If you have any questions regarding the details of the technology and the adjustment of the individual dosage of the indicated products, we invite you to contact our Team.
