MAY 13 QUIZ — WEED CONTROL
Test your knowledge on weed control under cool, frosty conditions.
EARLY WEED CONTROL IN COOL OR FROST CONDITIONS
Early weed control with lower efficacy is generally preferable to no control at all or late control with higher efficacy — as long as weeds are present and not frost damaged.
HOW TO ASSESS FROST DAMAGE ON YOUNG CANOLA
After a frost, it can take a few days to accurately determine how many plants survived, and whether the stand is still uniform. Be patient before making any decisions. Check the whole crop the day after a frost and then again 3-4 days after a frost to assess the situation.
BIG CLEAVERS NEED PRE-SEED CONTROL
SLOW EMERGENCE AND SEED TREATMENTS
Slow canola emergence due to cool soils can increase the risks from seedling diseases and from flea beetles.
CHECK FIELDS AT EMERGENCE, THEN AGAIN A WEEK OR TWO LATER
Growers will learn a lot from two field checks during the first few weeks after emergence. Scout fields 5 to 10 days after seeding when canola starts to emerge, looking for early threats. Then go back again two to three weeks after seeding to assess the stand.
SEEDING DEPTH IN DRY SOILS: EARLY MAY VERSUS LATE MAY STRATEGY
In areas with dry top soil conditions, growers often wonder whether to seed deeper to chase moisture. This approach differs based on the date and typical rainfall patterns.
ECONOMICS OF A HIGH CANOLA SEEDING RATE
Achieving 7 to 10 plants per square foot can mean some high seeding rates for seed with large thousand seed weights (TSW). Therefore, going much above 6 lb./ac. is not generally recommended — regardless of TSW. The better agronomic strategy is to put effort into rather than invest in a higher seeding rate.
THE RESEEDING DECISION — SCENARIOS
When growers have canola stands of fewer than 4 plants per square foot — due to low seeding rates, poor seed survival, insects, crusting, frost, wind, etc. — they grapple with the question whether to reseed. An established canola stand with as few as 1-2 plants per square foot generally has higher economic potential than if were to reseed that crop in June. This population is far below the minimum 4-5 per square foot required to meet yield potential, but a thin stand seeded early has greater economic potential (considering yield, quality and cost of production) than an adequate stand that doesn’t get established until mid to late June.
However, reseeding may be the better option if…
SEED-PLACED FERTILIZER SAFETY
The safest method for seed-placed fertilizer is to put nothing with the seed. However, with low-medium soil test results, it’s often beneficial to put ammonium phosphate with the seed at a safe rate, and put all other fertilizers in a band away from the seed row.
CLUBROOT RESISTANCE BREAKDOWN CONFIRMED OVER A WIDE AREA IN ALBERTA
Erosion of clubroot resistance is showing up in fields across central Alberta. Recent research by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development (AARD) and the University of Alberta (U of A) has confirmed the continued spread, with multiple virulent pathotypes suspected. Some fields risk losing their ability to grow canola profitably until new genetic solutions or other […]
BROADCAST SEEDING CANOLA — TIPS
Consistent success for canola crop establishment tends to come when seed is drilled at 1/2” to 1” deep into moist soil and packed lightly for rapid and uniform emergence. But when conditions are wet, broadcast seeding may be the only way to get the job done. In these situations, broadcasting may actually provide better seed placement if the alternative is “mudding in” seed with a drill that has mud caked on the openers, mud plugging the seed runs, and mud wrapped around the packers.
If you have experience with broadcast seeding in a late spring, please take a moment to share any tips you may have for agronomists and other growers.
When broadcast seeding, it may help to:
ROAD TRIP TO CANOLAPALOOZA
What do sclerotinia, cotton candy, drones, and unicycles have in common? They will all be part of canolaPALOOZA, June 23 at the Lacombe Research Centre in Alberta.
Canola Watch is a free, unbiased, timely and research focused weekly newsletter from the Canola Council of Canada Crop Production Team
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