Rapeseed is a widely used crop in agriculture. It is curious that the plant is not found anywhere in the wild, although people have known for a very long time.
In the scientific world, there is an assumption that rapeseed arose from the crossing of winter rape and garden cabbage. Where this happened is unknown, debate among nerds over the alleged place of origin of rape continues.
This plant from the Cabbage family is used in three main areas: feed, food and technical. Rapeseed has a developed root system and has the ability to improve the quality and structure of the soil, increase its fertility. Therefore, in the fields and on personal farms, rapeseed is often used as a green manure.
Sidereal properties of rapeseed
The ability of rapeseed to rapidly build up a huge amount of green mass in the cold spring and autumn is much appreciated. Rapeseed biomass, easily decomposing, becomes a valuable digestible fertilizer that enriches the soil with phosphorus, sulfur, organic matter, humus. It is inferior to bean siderates only in nitrogen content.
Rapeseed, like siderat, can compete even with manure in its nutritional ability. Due to the high content of essential oils, it heals the soil and protects various crops from pests and pathogens. In addition, rape - as siderat - successfully suppresses weed growth, so it is often planted in rows between perennial fruit and berry crops, in particular strawberries. Continuous crops contribute to the binding of nitrates and reduce their leaching into groundwater.
There are spring and winter forms of plants, which can sometimes pass from one to another. Winter rape is more productive than spring rape, so cultivating it is more profitable.
Winter rapeseed
As siderat, the winter form is a precursor for seedlings of vegetable crops, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers and others, with the exception of cabbage and other cruciferous plants, as well as clover. Note that rapeseed cannot be sown after these plants.
This is due to the fact that they have common diseases and are attacked by the same pests. In addition, rape as a siderat cannot be used in areas where
beets are supposed to be
planted, since it is a distributor of nematodes affecting
this root crop. But the potato and grain crops, he gives a tangible increase in yield.
The cultivation of winter rape is recommended in areas where medium and heavy in terms of mechanical composition of the soil contain enough humus for this crop. The most suitable are chernozems or fertilized sandy loam and loamy soils with a neutral reaction.
Winter rapeseed is sown closer to the end of August after harvesting the main crops, but no later, otherwise some of the seedlings may freeze. Before winter, the plant should reach 25 cm in height and have at least 6-8 leaves. Shoots appear after 4-5 days. Rapeseed is quite frost-resistant, photophilous and does not tolerate dimming, loves moisture, but is afraid of waterlogging.
Spring rape
The technology for growing winter rapeseed has quite a lot of requirements that must be met in order to fully realize the potential for crop productivity. In this sense, spring rapeseed is less demanding.
Siderat is sown since the end of March. However, the sowing period in spring should be chosen so that the seedlings do not freeze during the sharp cooling. If there is sufficient moisture in the soil, rapeseed can be sown several times during the summer, this contributes to the rational use of green mass and lengthening the duration of the green conveyor.
Within a month and a half, rapeseed grows to 30 cm and blooms, after which it is mowed and the land is cultivated. Then the sowing is repeated. Using rape as a green manure, crop rotation must be observed - alternate sowing with other green manure plants. It can be returned to its original place no earlier than after 4 years.
The sown area of rape is increasing year by year. This is due to the high profitability and economic profitability of the culture.