Issues of the week

Canola crops across the Prairies look very good, in general, and growers are optimistic at this stage of the season.

Top-dress fertilizer is a hot topic this week. The most efficient way to apply fertilizer on the Prairies is during the seeding pass, but some circumstances do call for top up nitrogen or sulphur for canola.

Seedling diseases such as rhizoctonia wirestem are showing up, perhaps due to deep seeding and tighter rotations, both of which increase the risk. Seedlings that die from disease can dry up and disappear quickly, so scouting early is the only way to determine the cause of these missing plants and patches.

Glyphosate applications that are higher than label rates or applied after the 6-leaf stage can seriously set back Roundup Ready canola yield. Apply before the 6-leaf stage as outlined on the label, and consider an approved tank mix to get weeds that may not be controlled at the label rate.

Flea beetle feeding seems to have picked up again, with many fields near thresholds.

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