Preliminary evaluation of root disease of winter oilseed rape in the UK

During the 2000/1 season, significant variability in the senescence of oilseed rape (OSR) stems was observed in Velcourt-managed fields. These symptoms tend to occur more in the southern part of the country, i.e. Kent and Wiltshire and in fields that have a history of OSR in the rotation. Roots of affected plants appeared blackened and stunted, very similar in appearance to take-all infected roots in cereals. Significant losses were observed at harvest from fields in an OSR rotation compared with adjacent virgin oilseed rape fields. The aims of this pilot project were to: a) determine the causal agent of any associated root disease, b) to determine the scale of the problem and c) to begin to identify solutions to address the problem