Build brassica buddies

#OSRReboot

Top 10 cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) management strategies for oilseed rape (Draft v2)

8. Build brassica buddies

Border and in-field strips of turnip rape, which has been shown to be more attractive to CSFB, can reduce CSFB pressure in OSR.
Leaving OSR volunteers to grow until late September (or later) reduces adult and larval damage in nearby fields of OSR.
Late summer-established cover crops containing brassicas may also act as trap crops, reducing CSFB pressure in nearby OSR. Note they need to be there in August to trap CSFB.
Destroy any brassica cover crops by the end of February to reduce the risk of them being a future source of CSFB.

Further information

x Link to more information

y Link to an expert

z Link to academic paper