Worsening ground conditions have left many growers pondering their spring cropping options, but with seed supply likely to be tight growers are being urged to make a decision sooner rather than later.

Adam Christie of Scottish Agronomy has identified several issues with the season that when viewed as a whole suggest that Scotland's growers are in for a challenging start to 2013.

High level of spring cropping

"The cold weather is adding to the difficulties caused by the intense rain with ground freezing and field work virtually impossible.  There is a large area of cultivated ground that needs planting, but there have been few opportunities to do so.  On top of that there is a sizeable area of oilseed rape that has been decimated by slugs and crops of all sorts are at risk due to the seemingly unstoppable rain. We're heading for one of the most intense periods of spring activity in a long time and growers need to start thinking about how they are going to approach it," he says.

There are options, but they are limited, he says.  "Many growers will be thinking of spring oats as their first choice crop, but seed is tight and it is a risky crop to grow without a market contract. Similarly, there is a risk of over doing the spring barley area. We're urging growers to consider spring oilseed rape, it enables growers to keep the position of oilseed rape in the rotation and is the preferred entry crop for first wheat," he explains.

Its later drilling requirement may also be beneficial, he says. "Field activity is likely to be delayed well into the New Year so cropping decisions should be based on something that is quick to establish. Spring oilseed rape fits this need nicely."

Of the spring oilseed rape varieties grown in Scottish Agronomy trials Delight has shown the greatest consistency, a characteristic that he believes should be given great importance.

"While we hope to have a better season in 2013 it is always advisable to go for a variety that has shown it to be consistent across the years and Delight has demonstrated just that. It's a known quantity," he says.

Importance of good agronomics

David Waite, of Frontier Agriculture, agrees and has found consistent and good yielding performance from the spring oilseed rape Delight.

"Delight with its hybrid vigour, is always going to be more reliable when sowing into difficult spring conditions, than a conventional variety. We have found the variety to offer a good combination of yield and also early maturity (6) – important for growers in the north. In fact, we often see commercial crops appear earlier than the official scores would suggest. Delight has performed well with growers over the last couple of seasons and fits in well where the pressure to get crops off in good time is high."