Questions of the Week

Is disease to blame for lower than anticipated yield?

Yields are proving disappointing in many regions. If biomass suggested higher yields, ask: were growing conditions to blame? Or could improved fertility, pest or disease management have made a difference? Remember for next year: growing multiple canola cultivars on the farm can spread out risk and provide some insurance to environmental stresses during the growing season. Disease symptoms are easiest to identify in standing stumble and intact residue. Verticillium stripe is showing up in new fields including in Alberta (here’s a diagnostic handout to assist in identification). Blackleg is another challenge: keep in mind that volunteer canola is an ideal harbour in fields planted to a blackleg resistant cultivar. Before making next year’s seed selections, blackleg race test old canola residue samples from the fields that will be planted to canola in 2025. Free disease testing is available for clubroot, blackleg and verticillium stripe: click here for Saskatchewan and here for Manitoba. (Choose the best canola seed traits for each field) (New nutrient uptake and removal guidelines) (Blackleg loss calculator) (Verticillium stripe)

How to reduce shelling and other harvest challenges?

Ongoing hot, dry weather has impacted pod integrity, with some straight cut-suitable varieties now shelling out. Expect shatter resistant varieties to be put to the test this year: some will fare better than others. Think of pod shatter resistance as bonus insurance but not a guarantee: keep an eye on pod integrity and choose harvest order based on how shatter resistance is standing up. Shatter harvest losses may be lower in the cool and higher moisture of early morning. 

If desiccation (especially for green spots in the field) is still required, understand what a product can and can’t do. Reglone is a contact rather than a systemic chemistry, so won’t necessarily penetrate through a dense canopy to the ground.

Hot, dry weather also means locked in green seed won’t have improved. Wait it out where possible if rain is in the forecast, as rewetting green seed will still reduce the chlorophyll content in the seed. (Make the most of canola yields by minimizing losses at harvest) (Green seed common questions) (WATCH: Canola shatter ratings)

Weed control: tackle now, soon, or wait for frost?

Spray now: When spraying herbicide, water rate, outside temperature, amount of sunshine, sprayer type (application or ground-applied) will all impact control rate of problem weeds. Use a tank mix partner. Double-check pre-harvest intervals if spraying prior to harvest. 

and…

Spray soon: Weeds will suck precious soil moisture each and every day they are left to grow in the fall. Don’t skip the opportunity to achieve fall weed control. Perennials like dandelions are best controlled post-harvest as early as adequate regrowth has occurred, as frost can kill tissue needed for translocation. Slightly later – usually October – is the best time to control winter annuals. Wait until the majority of winter annuals have emerged and are at the right stage for control. (Products for pre-harvest aid treatments) (Fall weeds: when to spray) (How to contain herbicide-resistant kochia)

How will hot temps leading to harvest impact the bin?

Outside temps are starting to moderate but canola binned hot, even at very low moisture, will be at risk of condensation and hot spots. Run fans continuously unless canola is very dry. On very dry canola, run fans if the air temperature is close to or cooler than the grain; fans should only be turned off if the air temp is 5C or more hotter than the grain. Running fans when air humidity is high can both cool and bring moisture into the bin if canola is already more than dry enough for safe storage.  Continue to condition and monitor canola to ensure safe storage. Precocious germination may be a significant issue: in one region, samples averaged 35-55% sprouted with worst samples 85% sprouted. Sprouted canola must be stored dry. Separate the crop where possible between higher and lower levels of sprouting. Collect bin samples now: representative samples are the most important step in the grading process, whether storing canola on-farm or delivering to an elevator. (Harvesting in heat: cool that canola) (The first days in the bin make all the difference)

What is the single most important priority right now?

Especially when rain or other harvest pressure are looming, it can be hard not to put in very long hours in the field. Sleep deprivation and fatigue cause mistakes that can be deadly. The most important thing is to keep yourself and others safe at harvest. Safety resources are available here. Long hours can also get in the way of necessary equipment maintenance. Make time to think machine safety too.