The benefits of seeding canola early should not be discounted by 1999 research, says an agronomist with the Canola Council of Canada.
Research gathered from test sites last year found little yield advantage to early seeding in Alberta, according to the council’s crop production centre report.
But senior agronomist Jim Bessel said last year was an anomaly.
And he pointed out that yield advantages occurred at sites in Sask-atchewan and Manitoba. Research from previous years has indicated possible yield increases of at least 15 percent, and Bessel thinks it could be as much as 20 or 25 percent.
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“I honestly think last year was a bit of an oddity because it was cool and wet,” Bessel said. “I still feel quite strongly that anyone who early-seeded canola, by that I mean about one week earlier than normal, would be quite pleased with increased yield potential.”
Bessel said the term “early” obviously varies by region. However, he defines it as getting out on the field “as soon as possible without getting stuck.”
Kevin Archibald, who grows canola near Killarney, Man., prefers to seed around the third week in April. He doesn’t worry too much about frost; he said canola becomes accustomed to growing in cold conditions.
He believes there is less risk involved compared to fall seeding and he likes the way it can fit into his crop rotation with winter wheat because the canola is harvested earlier.
“It provides the ideal seedbed for winter wheat.”
Archibald also sees early seeding as a risk management tool: “Markets are sometimes surprisingly strong early in the growing season.”
But escaping the summer heat is one of the biggest reasons growers are turning to early seeding.
Able to cope
Bessel said longer days earlier in the growing season mean the plants are hardier and able to withstand heat stress by the time hot, dry July and August days come along.
“The longer day length encourages more uptake of nutrients and utilization of moisture,” he said. And there is usually more moisture available at this time.
He said development of herbicide-tolerant canola has allowed producers to move to early seeding.
Farmers used to get on the field early to till or spray the first flush of weeds. Now, herbicide-tolerant canola can be planted early and weed control can follow. The well-established canola competes better with subsequent weed growth and this contributes to higher yields.
Producers who want to seed early should take care not to seed too deep. Seed should be placed no more than 2.5 centimetres below the surface.
Bessel said seeding into stubble or fields with extra residue can help because it blankets the seed However, some producers have experienced frost damage because cooler temperatures were held by the stubble.
