Mustard has a lot going for it when it comes time to decide what to plant this spring. This is especially true for growers in the southern Prairies.
“Mustard is better suited to the dry-land areas of the brown and dark brown soil zones of southern Alberta than is canola,” said Ross McKenzie, senior research scientist with Alberta Agriculture in Lethbridge.
“Other positives for growing mustard include its good water-use efficiency, its drought tolerance and its superiority to canola for late-spring frost tolerance.
It’s also more resistant to cabbage seed pod weevil than canola is, especially yellow mustard.”
Read Also
Agriculture ministers agree to AgriStability changes
federal government proposed several months ago to increase the compensation rate from 80 to 90 per cent and double the maximum payment from $3 million to $6 million
However, the crop also comes with problems:
- It must be shallow-seeded to a maximum depth of four centimetres.
- It can have problems germinating in dry conditions.
- It should be seeded by early May for optimum yield.
- It has limited herbicide options for broadleaf weed control.
- It is vulnerable to insect pests such as flea beetles and lygus bugs.
“In southern Alberta, mustard should be seeded in late April or by the first week in May for optimum yield potential,” McKenzie said.
“Delayed seeding can mean reduced yields, compromised weed control and a delayed harvest.”
Ideally, yellow mustard should be seeded at nine pounds per acre, aiming for 175 seeds per sq. metre, while brown and oriental varieties should be seeded at seven lb. per acre. Lower seeding rates can produce viable stands but increased seeding rates will improve biological weed control and maturity. The optimum range of a plant stand is 60 to 200 plants per sq. metre.
The ideal seeding depth is 12 to 18 millimetres, McKenzie said, but it should be seeded up to a maximum of 38 mm if soil is dry.
“Seed shallow if you want an optimum plant population.”
A side or mid-row band application of nitrogen when direct seeding is effective. However, McKenzie warned producers not to exceed seed-placed nitrogen rates of 15 lb. per acre with mustard when using narrow openers. Fall-banded nitrogen is better than spring banded when it comes to conserving spring soil moisture and ensuring good seedbed and moisture conditions.
“For phosphorus, seed placement is critical for root growth when soil phosphorus levels are low,” McKenzie said.
“However, mustard is not responsive to phosphorus when soil test phosphorus is greater than 30 lb. per acre.”
McKenzie recommended applying granular herbicide in late fall for best weed control in yellow mustard. Pre-seed burnoff is essential when direct seeding to ensure control of winter annuals.
He also had other advice:
- Obtain reliable mustard production information from the mustard production manual available on-line or from a crop adviser.
- Plan crop and herbicide rotations before seeding.
- Control perennial weeds before direct seeding.
- Ensure straw and chaff are spread uniformly for best direct seeding results.
- Remember that Edge is not registered for use with brown or oriental mustard.
- Direct seed into standing stubble to ensure good soil moisture.
- Apply phosphate fertilizer with the seed at rates determined by the soil test.
- Seed recommended cultivars for the area.
- Spraying for winter annual weed control is often necessary before seeding.
- Mustard is sensitive to seed-placed fertilizer; do not place more than 10 lb. of nitrogen per acre or 25 lb. of P2O5 per acre with the seed.
- Monitor the need for broadleaf and grassy weed control after crop emergence.
The mustard manual and other information on mustard production is available on-line.
