March 9, 2012
This article contains 5 quick weed control tips. Tip 1: Herbicide efficacy often goes down in dry conditions because most plants — weeds and crop — will develop a waxy layer and curl up their leaves to reduce moisture loss. These two survival responses also reduce herbicide uptake…
March 9, 2012
The key messages from this station: —Keep an open mind when scouting a field for problems. Symptoms can have many causes, and it can be a costly mistake to jump to conclusions before considering all possibilities. Many probable causes were discussed ranging from diseases to insects when describing sick or non emerging plants. —Environmental stresses like heat during bolting through…
February 9, 2012
Nutrient carryover is a common question from growers with unseeded acres. The standard answer is: Nitrogen is always variable throughout a field, and after a wet year without a crop, reserves might actually be better on the hilltops than in low spots. In low areas flooded for long periods, lack of oxygen limits microbial breakdown of organic matter. Therefore nutrients…
December 8, 2011
A recent Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada study found that growing peas and, to a lesser degree, lentils the year prior to canola can enhance canola yield. Canola on canola stubble will generally have lower yields than canola on other stubble…
November 3, 2011
Growers have made great strides in advancing no tillage and conservation tillage practices. General benefits include reduced fuel use, reduced soil erosion, higher soil moisture reserves (which are welcome most years), and a general increase in profitability. Any return to tillage, even if only one field or across the whole farm for only one year, should be weighed carefully…
October 5, 2011
Good canola stand establishment, especially in direct seeding situations, starts with straw and chaff management for the previous crop. Spreading residue evenly across the field is critical…
September 21, 2011
Harvest is a good time to assess your canola results and prep fields for canola in 2012. If yields were disappointing given the large biomass of the crop, take time now to check for clues as to why…
June 15, 2011
Step one with a thin stand is to determine the cause so it can be prevented next year. Step two is to scout closely and take extra care to protect those few plants from insect damage and weed competition…
June 8, 2011
No foliar sprays are available for seedling diseases, but growers should still dig and look at roots and stems to identify whether disease is the cause for weak plants. Understanding what contributed to seedling disease in fields this year may help plan for better results in your canola fields next year…
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