Oilseed Rape Breeding In Europe Matthew Clarke Monsanto Oilseed Rape Breeder UK, Nordics and Baltics
Introduction • The European Winter Oilseed Rape area has increased significantly in area and importance (for growers and crushers) over the last 15 years • The aim of this presentation is to give an idea of the size and importance of the crop, along with the more recent breeding successes that have contributed to this, and will hopefully continue to do so
European OSR Areas
source: FAO - Mean of last four years for EU27 Total area of 6.6 Mha. (16M Acres) Some is Spring but vast majority is winter
1800 1600
In addition to this there is up to 1.5 Mha. in non EU countries - but this area is quite variable from year to year
1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0
France
Poland
Baltic Countries Czech Republic
Others
European OSR Yields
source: FAO - Mean of last four years for EU27 The highest yielding countries achieve an average of around 3.5 T/Ha. (around 3000 pounds or 60 Bushels/acre) Lower yielding countries tend to have a higher proportion of SOSR
4 3.5 3 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0
France
Poland
Czech Republic Nordic Countries
Others
Why Winter OSR? • Under most European Conditions WOSR can achieve double the yield of SOSR – Yields of 7T/ha. (6000 pounds or 120 Bushels per acre) are not unknown
• The winter crop is planted from mid august to mid september and harvested late july to late august – The early harvest is useful in terms of spreading farm workload – Winter foliage gives good weed suppression/reduction
• WOSR has a much more robust growth habit than SOSR, so can better cope with environmental and pest pressure • For most of Northern Europe WOSR is the second or third most important crop in the rotation (Wheat number one, Barley or Maize (Corn) two or three.
Hybrid Varieties • European countries steadily moving to hybrid WOSR varieties – Hybrids are now well over 70% of crop
• Two hybridisation systems in commercial use – MSL and Ogura
• Hybrid varieties are produce more consistent higher yields and make it much easier for breeders to introduce valuable traits (RLm7+, PSR, Oil Quality, SD etc.) • Hybrid varieties work well with ‘new’ low till establishment techniques, wider rows etc. As farms become more ‘technical’ hybrid varieties are the obvious choice • EU ban on Neonicotinoid seed treatments makes hybrid vigour even more important for establishment and early survival
Hybrid Winter OSR has a very flexible growth habit and huge yield potential per plant ..........
Increasing Oil Content 45.5 45.1 45
• The average Oil% of varieties has increased by more than 1.5% in 10 years • Crop is more valuable to the grower
44.5 44 43.5
43.4
43 42.5
Source: HGCA UK Recommended list trials
2004/5
2013/14
Pod Shatter Resistance • Selected for in hybrid restorer lines as a ‘by-product’ of the Ogura Hybridisation system • Retains yield in adverse harvest conditions • Reduces volunteer pressure in future crops • Reduces slug pressure for other crops in the rotation • Trials this year have again confirmed that a relatively small harvest delay gives PSR varieties a big direct yield advantage – 2 week delay without any adverse weather event gave around 0.5 Tonne/Ha. yield reduction for the non PSR vars – Around $70/acre at current prices – Add all the other advantages and insurance against more extreme events and this is a very valuable trait
Typical picture showing a PSR resistant variety between two susceptibles – very often the resistant variety has the earlier maturity we have many similar pictures from different Years /locations across Europe
UK Trial Site – Pre-Harvest Hailstorm Yield T/Ha.
4.5
The trial operator did not want to harvest the site Because of the obvious and catastrophic damage to Vars. without PSR (and neighbouring crops of all types) Vars. with PSR proved to be virtually unaffected – across a number of trial sets
4 3.5 3
6 Site Mean Hailstorm Affected Mean
2.5 2 1.5 1
DK EXCELLIUM
EXCALIBUR
Non PSR Hybrid
Vars. without PSR
Disease – Main Threats • Blackleg/Phoma – Leptosphaeria maculans – Some quite good quantitative resistance sources available – And RLm7 Gene is still providing good protection – Using an RLm7 variety as a hybrid parent to combine with QR and/or other RLm genes is a very powerful strategy
• Light Leaf Spot – Cylindrosporium concentricum – Big variation in resistance/susceptibility in commercial varieties – Single gene resistance seen to break quickly – Some good QR sources currently available – BUT: Resistance sources not well understood, chemical control starting to fail, disease apparently extending range and impact
Disease - Others • Clubroot – Plasmodiophora Brassicae – Environmental range of disease is probably limited (soil ph, free water etc.) – Some cultural protection possible (planting date, drainage etc.) – Varietal Resistance is currently effective but based on very few sources
• Verticillium – Verticillium longisporum – Yield effect uncertain but seems to be occasionally damaging in WOSR – No proven chemical control or varietal resistance
• Sclerotinia – Sclerotinia sclerotiorum – Currently very good chemical control – Disease can be very damaging without this – No proven varietal resistance (across seasons – as flowering timing can have dramatic effects between varieties)
HOLL Quality • WOSR Hybrids with High Oleic/Low Linolenic quality are now available at yield parity (or better!) than conventional 00 varieties – Proven in Official Trials etc.
• This Oil quality is potentially better/more valuable than the standard oil for all major uses • Currently HOLL varieties have a relatively small part of the commercial market but this could change rapidly....
Semi Dwarfs and Winter Hardiness • The Bzh gene present in one hybrid parent gives a short, more determinate growth habit • Lots of possibilities for making a more manageable crop with higher harvest index and no lodging • BUT so far the most successful use is for improved winter hardiness – In combination with germplasm that resists early stem extension – The Bzh gene gives a very distinctive compact rosette over the winter – SD varieties are already extending the range of the winter crop and the probability of surviving harsh winters
• Have already shown very interesting trial yield performance in US locations where winter hardiness is at a premium
Before winter – rosette is Compact and close to the ground - Protects from frost
Significant effect on Manageability/HI Later in season
Imidazolinone (Clearfield tm)Herbicide Resistance • No GMO HR currently possible in Europe • IMI Resistance gives good control of Cruciferous and other weeds (including parasitic plants) that were starting to limit WOSR area/production • Also controls volunteer levels (IMI Resistance + PSR) – In WOSR Yield and agronomy are severely damaged by excessive plant populations (particularly with Hybrid vars.) – Potentially useful for quality control in HOLL production
• May also be useful to combat SU residues where these are limiting WOSR performance
Conclusion • Recent Breeding developments have played a significant part in the progression of WOSR • The availability of new breeding traits and potential combinations of these is certain to add to the profitability and reliability of this crop, suggesting a promising future
Thank You for Listening