Science

Potassium deficiency shows first in cereals

Potassium deficiency symptoms will show up in cereals well before it shows up in canola. As you can see in this photo, potassium deficiency in barley looks a lot like leaf diseases. Soil tests and tissue tests may help identify the problem.

Most canola crops grown in Western Canada are not short of potassium because most Prairie soils have sufficient potassium levels. Sandy soils with low clay content are most likely to be short of potassium, especially if those fields have been in forages where a large percentage of the biomass is removed each year. Cereals in...

Science

Reduce losses while combining

Key practice: Ground speed and mechanical adjustments to the combine can reduce harvest losses and increase yields. For growers who want to try straight combining, start with one field with uniform maturity and high yield potential. Key research: Gulden, R.H., University of Manitoba, et al. “Evaluation of Harvest Losses and Their Causes in Canola Across...

Science

Earlier seeding generally increases yield

Early spring seeding typically benefits canola yield and quality. An early planting date enables the crop to take advantage of good spring moisture, avoid some heat stress at flowering, and reduce the risk of fall frost damage. Key practice: Crops seeded early (in late April or early May, depending on the region) will out-yield canola...

Science

Blackleg monitoring

Defining Populations of the L. maculans Pathogen in Test Sites Used for Canola Blackleg Resistance Trials

Science

Input ROI

Economic Profitability and Sustainability of Canola Production Systems in Western Canada