The 2003 weather conditions did not favour the growth and development of mustard. As a result of the long, cold winter, followed almost without transition by torrid heat and drought, we were able to harvest only very modest crops (0.3-0.4 tonnes/ha.).
In a comparison of types, the Zlata variety proved to be the best in all three sowing periods. The standard, yellow Budakalász variety produced an average yield of 0.35 tonnes/ha, in keeping with the average for the experiment.
As for sowing periods, the late March (28.03) sowing was the most successful. Early sowing results in long-drawn-out sprouting and produces an uneven stand. In the case of late sowing, flowering and crop growth is shifted into the drought period, reducing the reliability of the harvest.