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Projects & Results

To germinate or not to germinate? Towards understanding the role dormancy plays in canola seed and seedling vigour and stand establishment

Project Details

Lead Researcher(s)

Dr. Sally Vail

Co-Researcher(s)

Isobel Parkin, Robert Gulden, Steve Robinson, Steve Shirtliffe

Funding Partners

SaskCanola

April 2015 - March 2018

Complete

The Challenge

Regardless of cultivar, canola emergence is less than 50% of the seeding rate.

The Project

Analyze the germination, seed and seedling vigour potential, as well as dormancy potential of mature seed of different Brassica napus and hybrid lines.

The Results

In some commercial seedlots there is a high potential for secondary dormancy. Secondary Dormancy Potential (SDP) is not currently included under standard protocol lab testing. 6 lines in total were grouped by consistently high or low SDP regardless of their environment that will be provided to seed companies as checks.

Grower Benefits

Using SDP checks, seed companies can increase canola emergence percentage, therefore decreasing seeding rate.

Keywords:

Germination, Dormancy, Seedling vigour