SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. – There were lessons for canola growers in last year’s challenging conditions, says Canola Council of Canada agronomist Clint Jurke.
They should apply that knowledge this year, he added.
Jurke told the recent Cropportunities meeting in Swift Current that field conditions will again be a problem this year.
Growing a profitable crop will depend on being able to deal with those conditions from the moment the seed goes in the ground.
Jurke said taking the time to calibrate and level seeders to obtain a uniform stand of 10 plants per sq. foot is critical. He recommended checking the seeding depth after a few hundred metres to make sure the seed is at the same depth of one-half to one inch throughout uneven terrain.
Read Also
Agri-business and farms front and centre for Alberta’s Open Farm Days
Open Farm Days continues to enjoy success in its 14th year running, as Alberta farms and agri-businesses were showcased to increase awareness on how food gets to the dinner plate.
Seeding too fast leads to imprecise seed placement.
Jurke showed photographs of seed that was placed in the side-banded fertilizer row because the operator was going too fast.
Deep-seeded canola is another problem that can be solved by slowing down and checking depth and the seeder settings.
“This year was very forgiving because there was lots of moisture.”
Imprecise seeding produces a stand that isn’t uniform, which in turn leads to swathing and harvesting challenges.
“We’re losing two to three bushels per acre when it comes to the harvest operation,” he said.
That number rises if a stand isn’t uniform, he added.
Last year’s narrow seeding window, which may be repeated this year, also led to germination problems because the soil wasn’t warm enough. Only 70 percent of seed germinates within two weeks when soil temperatures are 2 C, he said. The longer the germination period, the more opportunities exist for seed coatings to wear off.
“Ideally we want to be at 4 to 6 C” and see germination occur within a week, he said.
Seed size is another issue.
Ten years ago, five pounds of seed per acre was enough to produce the required stand. However, today’s hybrids have much larger seeds.
“You may not be putting down enough seed to get the 10 plants per sq. foot,” Jurke warned.
A combination of 70 percent germination and a hybrid that weighs five grams per 1,000 seeds will result in a stand that is only 7.5 plants per sq. foot.
“You are on the verge of moving into a higher risk category.”
Seedling survival may drop to 40 percent when factoring in cold soil, seeding too fast and more marginal land. At 4.5 plants per sq. foot, the opening for weeds and pests is just too great.
Jurke recommended higher seeding rates when planting into challenging conditions to ensure maximum profitability.
Scouting through the growing season is another essential tool.
Cutworms can take over a crop within days. Last year, farmers near North Battleford, Sask., were losing as much as 40 percent of their fields in a few days.
Farmers should also be looking for blackleg and sclerotinia, considering the high amount of moisture.
Scouting can also detect nitrogen loss. If recognized early, that loss can be dealt with through top dressing.
“No one regretted that last year.”
Flooding changes soil’s fertility because water fills in the air spaces and make it anaerobic. Microbes that need oxygen look for other sources of energy, which are the nitrates and sulfates that a crop also needs.
“In 2010 the amount of nitrogen and sulfur in the soil was leached away at pretty astonishing rates,” Jurke said. “We expect then that 2011 is going to be quite similar.”
For every bushel, a canola crop needs 2.5 to 3.5 lb. of available nitrogen, 1.25 lb. of phosphate, 2.5 lb. of potassium and .5 lb. of sulfur.
Soil testing is key to knowing what to apply.
Jurke said application rates depend on nitrogen and canola prices.
Nitrogen prices of $700 per tonne and canola prices of $12 per bu. will produce an economic return at almost any rate, he said.
However, 110 lb. of nitrogen per acre is as high as farmers should go when canola prices fall to $8 per bu.
That also applies if nitrogen increases to $1,000 per tonne.
Jurke said it’s too late to apply elemental sulfur if soil is sulfur deficient. Ammonium sulfate is a better bet.
Sulfur deficiency shows up in curled leaves with purpling in the leaf margins. Flowers will be small and pale with little pollen.
Applying ammonium sulfate can rescue a canola crop at the flowering stage, he said.
Canola facts
•Canola oil has the lowest level of saturated fat (seven percent) compared to other commonly consumed oils on the market today
•Canola oil is high (61 percent) in the monounsaturated fatty acid oleic acid. Oleic acid has been shown to reduce serum cholesterol levels and “bad” (LDL) cholesterol levels. Oleic acid does not affect levels of “good” (HDL) cholesterol
•Two classes of polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega 3, omega 6) are essential for humans, since they cannot be synthesized in the body and must be supplied through the diet. Canola oil contains a moderate level (22 percent) of omega-6 (polyunsaturated fatty acid linoleic acid) and an appreciable amount (11 percent) of omega-3 (alphalinolenic acid)
•Omega-3 has been shown to be effective in lowering serum triglyceride levels as well as in reducing platelet aggregation and increasing blood clotting time. These anti-blood clotting effects play an important role in the reduction of coronary heart disease
Source: Canola Council of Canada
