Researchers at Harper Adams University in Shropshire have increased oilseed rape yields by 50 percent by ‘waterproofing’ crops.

Field results from a research programme which is nearing completion at the University suggest that waterproofing OSR crops in dry conditions can boost yields. The idea is to help the crops, which are highly susceptible to drought, to retain water.

To this end, PhD student Michele Faralli has been spraying crop samples in greenhouses and the field with a “natural waterproofing spray,” derived from conifer plants in the first trials of their kind.

Michele said, “The field experiment results showed a 50 per cent increase in yield when a droughted crop was sprayed, compared to the crop not being sprayed. This built-on my previous greenhouse research which found a yield increase of 30 per cent.”

Michele is conducting a second field trial and hopes to release final results in summer 2016. He said his research could prove useful for growers in areas where water is expected to become scarcer, making irrigation less of a viable option.