The rapeseed is a long-cycle crop, facing all types of climatic conditions between sowing and harvest. “A very complete athlete going through different events“, for Samuel Dubois, Hybrids France market manager at RAGT Semences, or even a crop including “The intrinsic potential is huge“, for François Jansseune rapeseed product manager at LG France. But everyone agrees that rapeseed has a strong capacity to compensation in the event of hazards provided that its implementation is successful. Which varieties should you choose to put all the chances on your side during this stage?
Good starting vigor
The increasingly dry summers are causing semis a critical phase. “Producers are looking to sow as soon as they canâ€observes Samuel Dubois. The challenge is to promote early development of the root system allowing the rapeseed to better exploit the residual humidity of the soil, which is particularly recommended in “des terres légères et séchantes »indicates Arnaud Nogues, rapeseed market manager at KWS Maïs France. But early sowing requires varieties with good starting forcenot very sensitive to autumn elongation and lodging, and dynamic at the end of winter. These different characteristics, present in varieties such as KWS Wikos, LG Academic, Crateo or Herera, ensure continued growth.
Arnaud Van Boxsom, head of variety evaluation at Terres Inoviaemphasizes sensitivity toautumn elongationfavored by humid and mild autumns, but also by early sowing or plots rich in nitrogen. “The stems elongate too quickly, becoming long and thin, more susceptible to lodging and frost and to disease attacks.“In regions that he describes as “growing†, such as the Atlantic coast, he advises avoiding sensitive varieties.
In regions where sowing is late (northern half, deep lands…), dynamism at installation is a very important criterion. Samuel Dubois discusses the “Secure Installed” label at RAGT, given to varieties which have a high installation capacity in the event of late sowing. In all cases, Terres Inovia recommends favoring varieties with initial vigor greater than or equal to 7, and which also have a good autumn vigor essential to the robustness of rapeseed. “This makes it possible to secure the establishment when the rains are late or irregular in order to be able to deal with pestsâ€précise Arnaud Van Boxsom.
Low susceptibility to fall diseases
In terms of health, maladies the ones most linked to the climate, favored by mild and humid autumns, are mycosphaerella and cylindrosporiosis. The latter is particularly common in the north-east and north-west of the country, under oceanic influence. The choice of variety is a major lever for limiting damage. Samuel Dubois also mentions clubroot which is progressing. Phoma, although primarily managed by fungicide, also remains a criterion to check in areas with high pressure, even if current varieties generally have a comparable level of tolerance.
Mild autumns are also rather favorable for heights and extend their activity. “Their presence is linked to the disappearance of insecticides, but also to increasingly late arrivals of winter“, states François Jansseune who evokes the resilience of LG Avenger in the face of the insect. Arnaud Van Boxsom recalls that the choice of a so-called “ vigoureuse » and good behavior against flea beetle larvae (score at least greater than 7 for vigor and 6 for larvae), is an additional lever to obtain a robust rapeseedFaced with the climatic and health hazards that the culture undergoes in the fall, then in the winter.
Regularity of yield
To approach the campaign calmly, Terres Inovia recommends favoring regular varieties in yield in multi-year trials and in different regions. “If a variety performs almost everywhere in France over two years, it can be considered resilient in the face of climatic and health hazards.indicates Arnaud Van Boxsom. It is better to have a variety with 103% of the average yield every year rather than a variety with 106% one year, but less efficient the following year. »
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In France, among variétés which present the best inter-regional performances, include Hemotion and Ceos (Terres Inovia 2025 guide), but several follow closely. Samuel Dubois emphasizes that Ceos, “which combine potential, regularity and security“, was the most cultivated variety in France in 2025. On the new side, François Jansseune highlights LG Adrenalin, registered in 2025 and at the top of the CTPS ranking at more than 106% of witnesses over two years. It will be marketed for 2026 sowing.
