Rising prices are just one reason to consider returning to OSR.
That is the view of United Oilseeds seed manager Beckii Gibbs, who says with SFI coming to a close and reports of lower CSFB larvae numbers from last autumn, growers may be more inclined to return to what remains one of the most profitable break crops they can grow.
“A major positive has been the improvement in prices, which have steadily strengthened over the past year, rising from an average of £370/t in August 2024 to £405/t for August 2025.
It is a view shared by Florentina Petrescu, oilseed rape product manager for Limagrain. “With the market moving in the right direction and pest pressure easing, confidence in oilseed rape is beginning to rebuild. But those considering a return to OSR must still treat it as the technical crop it has become. Integrated pest management (IPM) strategies remain essential for OSR success,” she says.
Growers are seeing benefits from adapting cultivation methods, drilling into moist seedbeds, applying organic matter, and making use of companion or trap crops. Establishing OSR away from previous OSR fields also helps disrupt pest cycles and improves the chances of a strong, healthy crop.
Part of an IPM approach is making the most of improving genetics Florentina stresses. “Advances in oilseed rape breeding have delivered a new generation of hybrids with improved disease resistance, pod shatter protection, and greater resilience,” she notes.
“In the field, these genetic traits play out as a risk management strategy, by allowing the crop to meet its full gross output potential.”
An example being CSFB resilience. “LG Avenger is the result of our new methods of breeding oilseed rape varieties, which consider all limiting factors for crop development, including the threat from CSFB.
“It is the only variety with LG CSFB Resilience on the 2025/26 AHDB Recommended List, alongside many other valuable characteristics, including high yield, pod shatter resistance, high oil content and a very good disease package,” she adds.
