Abstract
It has been assumed that the management of both soil and fertilizer N in winter oilseed rape (WOSR) is crucial for N accumulation in seeds (Nse) and yield. This hypothesis was evaluated based on field experiments conducted in 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11 seasons, each year at two sites, differing in soil fertility, including indigenous N (Ni) supply. The experimental factors consisted of two N fertilizers: N and NS, and four Nf rates: 0, 80, 120, 160 kg ha−1. Yield, as governed by site × Nf rate interaction, responded linearly to Nse at harvest. The maximum Nse (Nsemax), as evaluated by N input (Nin = Ni + Nf) to WOSR at spring regrowth, varied from 95 to 153 kg ha−1, and determined 80% of yield variability. The basic reason of site diversity in Nsemax was Ni efficiency, ranging from 46% to 70%, respectively. The second cause of Nse variability was a shortage of N supply from + 9.5 soil to −8.8 kg ha−1 to the growing seeds during the seed filling period (SFP). This N pool supports the N concentration in seeds, resulting in both seed density and a seed weight increase, finally leading to a yield increase.
Highlights
Over the last four decades, oilseed rape (Brassica napus L., OSR) has become one of the most important global oil crops
In each year of the study, the total amount of precipitation during the period extending from the onset of flowering to seed maturity (FL-SM) was below 300 mm, as reported by Berry and Spink [12] for British conditions, but it was above the long-term average for this region in Poland (197 mm)
The study showed the occurrence of two different season-site N management strategies, resulting in a significant diversity in Seed density (SD), the primary yield complement decisive for the final seed yield of winter oilseed rape (WOSR)
Summary
Over the last four decades, oilseed rape (Brassica napus L., OSR) has become one of the most important global oil crops. The world average yield for this period increased to about 2.0 t ha−1 , being only slightly lower than that recorded recently in Canada (2.2 t ha−1 ) [3]. Canada, which delivers about 25% of the world rapeseed production, increased the sown area of this crop from 6.5 mln ha in 2009 to 9.1 mln ha in 2018 [3,4]. In the EU, the leading producers of winter oilseed rape (WOSR) are Germany, France, and Poland. Seed yields in these countries, in spite of high breeding progress, stagnated in the period extending from 2009 to
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