Early season hail rarely has an impact on canola yield potential. Hailed seedlings usually come back very well. If hail breaks off both cotyledons or snaps the stem, these plants usually do not survive. But even in these severe cases, while individual plants may die, a whole canola crop is fairly resilient to early season hail when it comes to…
Plant establishment
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There are no reliable solutions to crusting other than to wait for rain. Some growers have reseeded the worst sections of fields. A light harrowing might help if nothing has come through. Do a couple passes then assess whether canola seedlings are being ripped out of the ground. Harrowing too close to emergence can be harmful to a shallow seeded…
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Heavy rains in the past week left some Prairie canola fields under water. Canola is quite susceptible to water logging and shows a yield reduction after only 2-3 days with wet feet. Wet soils cause an oxygen deficiency, which reduces root respiration and growth. Root failure reduces nutrient uptake, and plants will eventually die unless drowned areas dry out quickly…
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You may have observed canola with a yellow halo around the outside edge of cotyledons. If this happens when growing conditions are optimal and there hasn’t been frost, seed treatment is the likely cause. When the plant is growing very fast, translocation of seed treatment into the plant is also very fast. This can result in an occasional yellowing of…
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Many factors can cause a thin canola stand. Proper diagnosis is important for effective management. Here are common factors, with diagnosis tips for each. Use our new Canola Diagnostic Tool on your smart phone or tablet for help in the field. Watch the video at the top of this article for a tutorial on how to use the tool…
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High winds can blow seeds and seedlings right out of the ground, especially if top soil is dry. If the field is not yet seeded, growers may want to seed a little deeper if topsoil is dry and high winds are still coming…
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In a situation where soils are dry in top 1-2” and seeding is delayed to late May or June, the shallow seeding recommendation for canola is up for debate. Seeding as deep as 2” to chase moisture may be preferable to leaving canola stranded in half an inch of dust…