It’s a common question canola producers put to John Heard: is it possible to place sulfur with phosphorus next to canola seed without damaging it?
Heard, a Manitoba Agriculture soil fertility expert, doesn’t have a definitive answer, which is why he’s participating in an Agriculture Canada project looking into it. .
“Growers want to supply sulfur when they’re using ammonium sulfate,” Heard said.
“If they’re seed placing it, is it at a level that compromises seed safety?… That is a common dilemma.”
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Heard is working with Agriculture Canada soil fertility scientist Cindy Grant, who is leading the three-year study that began this year and includes trials at Lethbridge, Brandon, Carman, Man., the Glenlea Research Station near Winnipeg, Thunder Bay and Quebec.
The trials will evaluate different combinations of phosphorus and sulfur based on its effectiveness and toxicity to the canola seed.
“Having phosphorus close to the seed is really important,” Grant said.
“A lot of producers, though, would like to put sulfur (next to) the seed as well. But the sulfur is hot and can lead to seedling damage.”
She said the research is examining rates and their effect on yield and oil quality.
Grant and her colleagues are evaluating ammonium sulfate and S15, a nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur product from MicroEssentials, in different combinations with monoammonium phosphate, ammonium poly-phosphate and a coated monoammonium phosphate.
Preliminary results will be released soon, but 2010’s weather wasn’t typical and Grant says growers shouldn’t rely on them.
