Effect of site-based precision fertilisation on yield and oil content of spring oilseed rape seeds

The experiments using two fertilisation methods on the spring oilseed rape in 2012 were carried out in two places - on the Eerika experimental field of the Estonian University of Life Sciences and on the Erumae producing field of the Pilsu farm. The aim of this work was to investigate site-based precision fertilisation on the spring oilseed rape yield and oil content in oilseed rape seeds. The preceding crop was spring wheat in both fields. Five treatments were used: control treatment (without fertilisers, C), common fertilising system (CvS), fertilisation by site-specific information (SI), fertilisation by site-specific information additionally with mineral nitrogen fertiliser (SI+MF), and site-specific fertilisation additionally with foliar nitrogen fertiliser (SI+FF). The highest seed and oil yield was achieved in treatments fertilised by site- specific information additionally with foliage nitrogen fertiliser. In the production field, the statistically significant seed and oil yield increase was achieved in treatment. Oil content of spring oilseed rape seeds was higher in treatments C and CvS. In both trials, additional fertilising with foliar nitrogen (including microelements, SI+FF) increased the oil content of oilseed rape seeds. There was a negative correlation between the oil content and seed yield of spring oilseed rape.