During pod fill is a good time to assess yield potential leading up to harvest. The variable staging this year has not evened out and will require more management at harvest. It may be beneficial to mark or section off fields based on similar staging and yield potential. Know where the greatest yield potential is within the field and plan …
Variable Stages Benefit from Pod Sealant?
With the variable stages in this year’s canola crop, questions about the benefits of applying a pod sealant are surfacing. Pod sealants are relatively new to the Canadian marketplace and limited scientific research has been conducted with these products under western Canadian conditions. These products are designed to reduce shattering losses by preventing the pods from splitting open during ripening. …
Anchoring Short Canola Stands
Questions about swathing this year’s crop with low plant stands and shortened crop height are starting as the ability to anchor the swath to the stubble will likely be hampered. To reduce potential losses from swaths blowing, keep the following recommendations in mind: Swath parallel to the typical prevailing winds in the area Cut the plants as high as possible, …
Don’t be Tempted to Swath Too Early
As the calendar progresses and the risk of fall frost increases, it may be tempting to swath earlier than optimal. Growers must ensure that seed colour change is occurring when assessing the proper time to swath. Do not use plant or pod colour to gauge proper timing because some pods will appear ripe on the outside before the seeds are …
Keep Malathion OUT of Canola Bins
As bins are prepared for the coming harvest, keep in mind that using malathion on canola seed or in canola storage bins will result in detectable levels of malathion residue because malathion has a strong attraction to the oil in canola seed. Consequently, malathion can move into canola seed from storage bin walls. Detection of malathion residue in canola seed …
One More Rain Might Do It
One More Rain Might Do It Alberta and the BC Peace Region had seasonal daytime temperatures last week which spawned thundershowers in many locations, with rainfall amounts ranging from trace to 2 inches and reports of strong winds and hail. Relatively cool conditions prevailed in the rest of the Prairies with many parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba receiving rain (trace …
Turn up the Heat, Please
Crop development ranges from early bloom (20%) in the late and re-seeded fields to fully podded in the early fields. Some of the very earliest fields in southwestern Manitoba and Saskatchewan are starting to show signs of color change but swathing is still estimated to be about three weeks away. Crop development continues to lag behind the long term average …
Hail Damage – Getting Too Late to Recover
Thunderstorms last week and over the weekend brought hail to parts of Alberta and central Manitoba. It is likely getting too late in the growing season for canola plants to compensate and recover from severe hail damage. Mid-season hail is also a concern for disease access. The hail wounds on the plant can provide points of entry for disease pathogens …
Pay Attention to Pre-Harvest Intervals and Product Registrations
The preharvest interval (PHI) refers to the number of days that the crop should not be harvested after application of a pesticide. Harvest in this context means cutting or swathing. If the crop is harvested before the indicated interval has elapsed, there could be unsafe or unacceptable residues of the pesticide remaining in or on the harvested seeds. Preharvest intervals …
Affected Patches Appearing – Find out Why
At this time of year (as the canola crop finishes flowering and begins to pod), often stressed or affected patches appear within the field. These patches are often most noticeable because they started flowering at the same time as the rest of the field but are now coming out of flower sooner. If possible, mark these suspicious patches so they …