Before answering the question posed in the title of the article, it is worth recalling that the level of rapeseed yield, as well as its winter hardiness, are largely dependent on both autumn development and plant nutrition during this period. Therefore, when starting to grow rapeseed, you must bear in mind that recent years have been characterized by very variable weather conditions. Therefore, before the next growing season, you should consider what to do to both build a good foundation for the future crop and properly prepare the plants for winter, regardless of the weather conditions in autumn. It is assumed that properly developed rapeseed in autumn should produce at least 8, and preferably 10-12, fully developed leaves (photo 1), a thick root collar (its thickness is correlated with the number of leaves produced) and a deep tap root system. This development of rapeseed ensures both high resistance to freezing and proper regeneration of plants after winter (fast initial growth). This is true even if the plants lose some or almost all of their leaves during winter or early spring, for example as a result of low temperatures. At the same time, it should be noted that in properly developed plants, the future yield is already largely determined in autumn, i.e. the production of branching buds – side shoots (from the 5-6 leaf stage) and the formation of inflorescences – first of all on the main shoot and upper branches ( from the 7-8 leaf phase), which largely determines the future seed yield.
