Canola Watch 2024 Exam – Section 3

Broadcast seeding of canola is not ideal, but it can work in some scenarios. The fundamentals article “Broadcast seeding canola: Tips” included showed photo results from aerial seeding in Manitoba in 2024. What does this experience suggest is an essential step?

“Herbicide carryover and spray contamination” describes canola symptoms from carryover of several herbicide groups. One group causes this damage:

"Canola growth may start normal, but as the plant takes up residual Group 4 herbicide, it can cause clear deformity of new leaves and stems. Abnormal growth can include twisted stems, callused stems, cupped deformed leaves and the development of deformed tissues and secondary roots."

What herbicide group causes this damage to canola seedlings?

“Soil sampling - timing, techniques, interpretation” notes that soil with high organic matter and ample moisture could, possibly, provide a large percentage of the required nitrogen in a given year. The article notes that, in general, soil can generate ______ pounds of available nitrogen per acre for each percentage point of organic matter. (Fill in the blank)

“Grasshopper management in canola: Thresholds, identification, and control strategies” includes a series of close up photos of grasshopper nymphs. Which species is this nymph? (Photo credit: Dan Johnson)

“Fall weed control” includes a special note on a specific winter annual. The note says the weed has become more of a winter annual than an annual, perhaps due to no-till and direct seeding. Fall is a good time to manage this weed because by spring, the plants are often big enough to escape control with usual pre-seed burnoff herbicide rates. What is the weed?

“Green seed - causes, management and storage risk” describes one cause in this way: “This permanently stops the chlorophyll-clearing process and locks in green. Nothing can be done to reduce this green.” What is the cause?

“How to identify verticillium stripe” describes the symptoms stem striping, stem peeling, black specks and stem cross section discolouration. When it comes to stem cross section discolouration, what is one way to distinguish verticillium stripe from blackleg?

“Factors that increase canola storage risk” notes that chaff often has higher moisture than seed. If that dockage clumps together, as it often does, this could present a storage risk. To demonstrate that risk, the Canadian Grain Commission compared canola seed moisture and dockage moisture for samples collected through its Harvest Sample Program in 2023 and 2024. Looking at the table of results for 2024, seed moisture for the test samples averaged 7.35 per cent. What was the average dockage moisture?

“How to manage herbicide-resistant kochia” includes the management step to apply herbicide in the fall. It names a specific herbicide. What is it?

“Calculate a yield target based on profit” lists factors farmers and their agronomists can use to set appropriate canola yield targets for the year. The list includes one factor that may be flawed because it essentially locks in a yield plateau. Which factor is that?