BROOKS, Alta. — Canola that shelled out in the high winds of September 2012 could become a problem this year for farmers using a two-year canola rotation.
Norm Flore, agronomic manager with Crop Production Services, said volunteer canola could be a problem in fields that experienced shattering.
“We lost 10 bushels an acre, I remember, in the fall of 2012 in some fields,” he told a March 18 pest surveillance branch update in Brooks, Alta.
“That’s 500 pounds an acre of canola seed lying out there that’s going to germinate at some point in time. We need to control that.”
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Canola seed can survive in soil for several years because of its tough, oily coat. The windstorms of two years ago affected millions of tonnes of prairie canola that was sitting in swaths, although damage was most extensive in Saskatchewan and Alberta.
“Some of that land could be going into canola this coming year, and volunteer canola could be a huge problem on that land,” said Flore.
“Farmers should be aware of it, and probably the best management practice is to use a system that wasn’t on that land in 2012. So if they grew Liberty Link in 2012, probably grow Roundup Ready in 2014 if they suspect there’s going to be a lot of volunteer because you can’t control those volunteers with the same system.”
Flore also suggested farmers pay particular attention to phosphorus levels in their soil this year, given the past several years of bountiful crops.
“We’ve been pulling off very good canola and cereal crops, and we’ve been removing more phosphorus from the land than what we’re putting back on,” he said.
“We need to think more of a balance between removal and replenishment. Otherwise it will haunt us in a few years.”
He said an increase of five to 10 lb. per acre is likely sufficient to keep a reasonable balance. Cropping history should be the main consideration in making that decision, although soil tests will also help.
