Be patient, but don’t wait for perfection

In the Parkland area of Manitoba where I live and work, some farms have – so far – been able to get away with fairly tight canola rotations. A good crop rotation will break up disease cycles. If farmers are in tight rotations, all other agronomy practices such as seeding rate, appropriate weed control timing, scouting and replenishing nutrient levels to at the least crop removal rates are that much more important.

In general, the higher yielding canola growers follow a few key practices.

They use higher fertilizer rates. They generally use “adequate plus” fertilizer rates matched with a sound understanding of the potential and productivity of acres going into canola. High-producing growers understand that using soil samples, variable rate fertilizer on fields where it makes sense, calculating crop removal rates and understanding the productivity of their land are critical factors. Micronutrients and biologicals are tested for fit, but N, P, K and S are priorities.

They aim for uniform seeding depth and adapt to the conditions of the day. Aiming for seed depth of 0.5” to 1” gives them half an inch of wiggle room. With fields having variable moisture throughout the field, stubble to contend with, rocks and hills, uniform depth can be a tough task. It starts with keeping up with the necessary maintenance and checks on their seeding implement, and knowing when it’s time for an upgrade. Contour following drills with independent-link openers are valuable for uniform placement. Getting out of the tractor to check for good seed to soil contact and seeding into moisture also plays a part.

They are patient, but don’t wait for perfection. Growers who achieve consistent top-level yields have the machinery prepped and inputs on hand so they’re ready when good seeding, spraying and harvest conditions come along – but they’re not waiting for perfect conditions. Our growing season is short and days slip by. They don’t wait for the perfect rainfall before they start to seed. They spray weeds early. They hit the timing on sclerotinia stem rot fungicides. And when insects are at thresholds, they spray. They also know that “doing nothing” can sometimes be the right choice.

They consider the genetics x environment x management
(G x E x M) relationship when buying seed for each field. They know the needs of each field because they walk or quad each field, look at satellite imagery, collect weather data and fly a drone to monitor for pests, diseases, moisture levels, stresses and yield robbing risks that can add up over the season. The G x E x M relationship is particularly important for disease management for top yields in my area where canola rotations are tight. Understanding how clubroot, sclerotinia, blackleg, verticillium stripe and seedling diseases grow, infect and spread is necessary. Understanding what to do in cases of high disease pressures or environments and what can’t be done (for example, there are no fungicide options to control verticillium stripe) is equally important. Some of the best options for disease prevention or reduction is to incorporate another crop into the rotation and increase the number of years before a field goes back into canola. High quality seed from a seed company focused on disease management is another good strategy.

They seek outside knowledge and advice. Good relationships are a resource for their farm. They try to avoid being blinded by their own “rules of thumb” and are more willing to adapt.

Canola is a very resilient crop and can compensate when given good conditions to do so. In my experience, top-yielding growers understand and accept that there are no guarantees, that genetics and marketing messages alone don’t grow a crop, and that a good crop does take a bit of luck and happenstance. At the same time, they know that opportunities do not create themselves. Farmers who plan and are prepared to execute on plan A, B, C or D are the ones that create yield across a field and across their farm.