Canola Watch quiz – This Week in Agronomy

Four questions about hot topics in canola agronomy this week.

1. Some fields are still at risk from insects. For example, bertha armyworms are at thresholds in some fields in the Peace region. Growers who have to spray will need to find a product that fits within the pre-harvest interval. If a canola field has to be sprayed today and will likely be ready to swath or straight combine in 14 days, how many insecticides would be available to use, according to the calculator at spraytoswath.ca?

2. You’re doing a pre-harvest disease survey and see random plants turning pre-maturely yellow throughout the field, like these shown in the photo. How do you tell what it is?

3. According to Canola Council of Canada research from the early 2000s, what is the yield advantage from waiting and swathing canola at 50-60% seed colour change (SCC) instead of swathing earlier at 30-40% SCC?
4. Is this farmer cutting canola too early?