September 18, 2013
Some growers who straight combine canola that is not a glyphosate tolerant variety will apply glyphosate to even out the crop for easier harvest. When using glyphosate in this fashion, make sure a majority of the field is mature. Growers using Reglone on canola to be straight combined take note: Reglone can increase both pod shatter and pod drop if…
September 18, 2013
Harvest is a farmer’s busiest time of the year and unfortunately one of the most dangerous. Fatigue and stress often lead to shortcuts and unsafe practices during this time. It is essential to take breaks, slow down, follow safe practices, and ensure everyone on the farm is trained to do the task at hand…
September 11, 2013
Canola growers often lose 2 bu./ac. out the back of the combine. Losses can easily reach 5 bu./ac. if the combine is pushed beyond its threshing capacity. Every combine will have a sweet spot where the settings and ground speed are just right for the conditions and losses are within the acceptable range of 0.5-1 bu./ac. The only way to…
September 11, 2013
The question is, how soon is too soon to combine after swathing? There is not set length of time that canola must stay in the swath before combining. If moisture is below 10% and green is below 2%, go combining. Two to three weeks of curing is just an estimate…
September 11, 2013
Canola at 10% moisture is at risk of spoilage when binned at 20°C. At 25-30°C, the spoilage risk is that much greater. Canola at 8% moisture is also at risk if not cooled immediately after storage. The first 4-6 weeks are critical. Canola in storage keeps respiring during that time, releasing moisture into the air around the seed. This moisture…
September 11, 2013
A recent canola bag storage study concluded that: —Harvest bags are best used as a short term storage solution under Prairie conditions. —Dry canola (less than or equal to 10% moisture) can be stored for up to eight months and 12% moisture content canola can be stored for up to five months without any significant change in quality or grade…
September 11, 2013
Cutting canola hot can lead to fast dry down, which can trap green in the seeds. If canola green counts are still high (No.1 canola requires 2% or less) and seed moisture levels have dropped below 10%, further green clearing is unlikely...unless conditions change. Canola seed moisture needs to get back up to 20% with temperatures remaining at 15°C or…
September 5, 2013
Swathing canola when temperatures are hot can cause two potential problems for the crop: 1. Rapid dry down due to hot conditions does not give the green-clearing enzymes enough time to reduce chlorophyll levels in the seed, and green counts can be elevated. 2. Very dry pods can shatter if swathed on a hot day…
September 5, 2013
If late season hail damages pods, then these pods have a higher potential for shattering as they dry. Swathing early to save these pods may not be worthwhile if these pods represent only a small percentage of the yield potential of the crop…
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