The 2020 recommended list for winter oilseed rape was published last week by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

Three varieties have been upgraded to fully recommended this season – Alizze, Aquila and Dariot. DK Extrovert has dropped off the list.

Aquila has the highest relative seed yield at 106. Dariot followed at 104.

Varieties had similar ratings for oil content, with scores of between 99 and 102, but Alizze had the highest score at 102.

Dariot was also the tallest variety at 151cm and also had lodging resistance and stem stiffness scores of 7. Plant height ranged from 120cm to 151cm.

Alizze, Anastasia and PX113 all had lodging resistance scores of 8, while Anastasia and PX113 both had stem stiffness ratings of 8.

Alizze and Anastasia both had the highest rating for resistance to light leaf spot with a score of 7.

Alizze is the earliest variety for flowering on the list with a score of 8. Aquila, Dariot and SY Harnas followed with a score of 7.

Background information

The 2020 winter oilseed rape recommended list is based on data from 2017 to 2019. The quick turnaround between harvest and sowing of winter oilseed rape does not allow 2020 varieties to be included in the list as data will not be analysed in time.

The mean yield of the control varieties was 5t/ha, while the mean oil content was 44.5% when adjusted for 9% moisture content.