OSR Herbicides Guide

A guide to help farmers and agronomists understand how best to reduce the risk of oilseed rape herbicides reaching water.

The guide is split into the following 12 sections. In addition, there is a gross margin calculator to show the profitability of your rotations.

1. What's the problem?

Detection of key herbicides in drinking water sources could result in restrictions on use and – without the application of best practice – lead to their possible withdrawal.

2. Assessing the risks

Despite taking care, the risks can include yard spills, run-off after heavy rain, losses through deep soil cracks and field drains.

3. Cropping decisions and IPM

Using crop rotation, varietal selection, cultivation, agronomy, forecasting and monitoring tools alongside the prudent use of pesticides.

4. Soil management and cultivations

The effects of soil management on the speed of pesticide movement from soil to water vary considerably.

5. Drilling and crop establishment

A wide range of establishment methods are used for winter oilseed rape in the UK, which can affect the risk of herbicides reaching water courses.

6. Weed control and product choice

The current choice of herbicides is already limited. Therefore, care is needed both when choosing and using products to minimise the risk.

7. Herbicide filling & handling best practice

A small splash, sprayer foam, even the washings from a single foil cap, can enter water courses. Observing best practice in filling and handling herbicides is vital to protecting their continued use.

8. Herbicide application

Following best practice when applying herbicides to oilseed rape will ensure optimum performance from the products and minimise the risk of herbicide loss from the field to watercourses.

9. Reducing run-off with grass buffer strips

Grass buffer strips are areas of land with permanent vegetation that slow run-off and allow time for drainage. Usually established beside watercourses, they can reduce run-off losses by at least 50%.

10. Reducing run-off managing tramlines

Up to 80% of pesticide run-off from arable fields can arise from tramlines where soil is often compacted.

11. Reducing run-off with cultivations and cover crops

Best practice uses a full armoury of options to protect water courses. This includes careful choice of cultivations as well as cover and companion crops.

12. Reducing drainflow losses

UK farmland is some of the most extensively drained in the world. An advantage for crop production; this poses an increased risk of rapid movement of herbicides in soil water solution to watercourses.

Gross Margin Calculator

Download this calculator to show the profitability of your rotations.

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