Field activities under RUNFASTER4EU continue to advance, with ongoing trials in Serbia providing valuable insights into the performance of low-input oil crops under challenging conditions.
Serbia: monitoring crop development and preparing the next season
In Serbia, the IFVCNS team is progressing with field trials focused on high-erucic acid rapeseed (HEAR) and safflower, contributing to the development of resilient, non-food crops adapted to marginal environments.
Rapeseed: stable development and good field performance
The rapeseed crop is currently in the stem elongation phase (BBCH 50), with flowering expected in the coming period. No signs of winter damage have been observed, indicating good adaptation to local environmental conditions.
Plants show uniform growth across the field and are in good vegetative condition, providing a solid basis for positive expectations for the remainder of the growing season.
Safflower: soil preparation and sowing strategy
Preparations are underway for safflower cultivation. In early March, 100 kg of urea was applied to the field planned for sowing.
Soil analysis identified several constraints affecting plant growth, including:
- low organic carbon content (below 1%), impacting soil fertility
- high sand content, influencing soil structure and limiting root development
Following a dry period, sowing has been scheduled to take place after anticipated rainfall in early April, in order to ensure optimal conditions and align with the appropriate sowing window.
More field updates will follow as RUNFASTER4EU progresses.
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