Canola varieties are now rated on the end result, factors like average yield and days to maturity.
But new research is soon to shed light on what varieties are the scrappy fighters, the ones that can pop out of the soil and take on flea beetles and the elements and produce lush growth.
Bob Elliott, a scientist at the Agriculture Canada Saskatoon research centre, said varieties have a broad range of growth styles.
For several years, Elliott and his team have seeded about 20 varieties of Argentine and Polish canola and mustard. To put the varieties on a somewhat equal footing, the researchers screened the seed to get batches of uniform sized seed.
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No seed protection was used and sowing was in early May when soil temperatures were about 10-12 C and later when the soil was 20-25 C.
Results so far show flea beetle damage can range from 10 to 70 percent.
“We assumed that all the varieties are equally susceptible to flea beetle damage. It was a good working hypothesis, but what we have seen over the last four years is that there are differences in susceptibility.”
Establishment ranged from 25 to 85 percent. As for biomass, there has been a 10-fold difference between the least vigorous and most vigorous.
Seed yield varied from 14 to 40 bushels an acre.
“So I think there is tremendous potential if we can identify some of these superior varieties with superior growth attributes and varying levels of resistance or tolerance of flea beetles.”
Selecting strong varieties, testing for vigour and proper seed storage might lead to lower input costs, he said.
“Identification of this (vigour) is key to improving canola yields and opens the door to reducing chemical inputs over the longer term.”
Elliott is now preparing the final reports for the funding agencies and it will be up to those groups to pass the information to farmers.
