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Blackleg is more serious this year in some fields, largely due to good early season conditions for infection. Growers who have blackleg may not realize it because the dead brittle stems caused by severe blackleg can be confused with sclerotinia, clubroot and perhaps other diseases. Pre-swathing is a good time to scout. A few days after swathing is OK, too.
While growers and agronomists are in the field checking for disease, why not do a quick plant count? If the field, on average, has fewer than 5 plants per square foot, it likely did not reach its yield potential. Look back at what may have happened to reduce plant count, and take measures next year to achieve 7 to 10.
Canola with a high green count may benefit from some extra time in the swath. However, moisture in those green seeds needs to get back above 20% and temperatures have to stay above 15 C for green-clearing enzymes to restart and function well.