Context

Over the last 12 years, the area given over to rapeseed in Catalonia has doubled due to growing demand, especially for oil production. Moreover, its cultivation has many advantages for the crops that follow it in the rotation: increased yield, control of resistant weeds, reduction of disease inoculum, among others. However, rapeseed faces many critical challenges during its development. For example, achieving successful establishment of the crop, ensuring sufficient vegetative development during the winter, controlling pests and diseases, flowering duration and quantity, harvesting at the optimum time, are just some of the main critical points that need to be controlled. In view of the growing demand and the difficulties observed, there is an opportunity to address some of these points by improving current practices, either using new technology, new working procedures or a more efficient management of the crop.