Rapeseed

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L. or Brassica napus subsp. napus, an autonym for rapeseed, or Brassica napus Oil Rape Group) is a yellow-flowered annual plant in the Brassicaceae family, formerly known as Crucifers. It is widely cultivated for the production of edible oil and agrofuel. Along with sunflower andolive, it is one of the three main sources of edible vegetable oil in Europe.

In Canada, spring rapeseed, whose erucic acid content was lowered by genetic selection, was renamed canola. Since then, European varieties have also had their erucic acid content reduced, so rapeseed and canola are almost identical.

Etymology : rapeseed comes from the Dutch koolzaad (literally " cabbage seed").⁽⁾

Using oilseed rape as a companion plant

Sowing companion plants with oilseed rape
Better tolerance of insects
Betternitrogen efficiency
Preserved yield

Interventions	Stage/period	Advice
Choice of plot		Best suited to clay soils
Soil preparation		Re-pressed seedbed, maintain freshness
Sowing	From 5 August if necessary, aiming for 4 leaves at the end of September	With legumes, e.g. : field beans 15 p/m², lentils 30 p/m², fenugreek 30 p/m², etc...
Fertilisation	Before sowing and in spring	30 units of nitrogen in shallow clay-limestone at sowing, X-30 dose in spring
Weed control	e Pre-emergence or early post-emergence	Possible with many herbicides, at moderate doses. Clopyralid in spring if companion plant not destroyed.
Diseases	Flowering	Ditto, except where there is high nitrogen pressure in the system.
Harvest	Mid July

Economic aspects of the crop

Rapeseed alone

Soit une marge brute 648 €/ha (excluding premium)^[1]

Charges opérationnelles en €/ha

Produit

Semences :	47€
Fertilisation :	230€
Herbicides :	126€
Fongicides :	38€
Insecticides :	12€
Divers :	15€

Rendement :	31 q/ha
Prix de vente :	360 €/t

Total : 468€

Total : 1116 €

Rapeseed combined

Soit une marge brute 648 €/ha (excluding premium)^[2]