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The ideal canola crop for straight combining is thick and well-knitted with even maturity. However, a case can be made for straight combining very thin crops with uneven maturity.
Hailed canola fields often grow back at various stages, creating a thin multi-staged crop at harvest. These crops will not produce a windrow that rolls nicely, and may not have the stubble to hold that windrow and prevent it from blowing. Straight combining eliminates the risk of swaths blowing. Also, leaving an uneven crop standing for straight combining may allow more of the later pods to mature and contribute to yield. Desiccation may be required to dry down weeds and very late canola plants to facilitate straight combining. Hold off on desiccation as long as possible to let as much of the crop mature, then go in with Reglone a few days before harvest.
