With any new crop pest or disease, it takes time to understand the problem and to develop best management practices. It’s been around a decade since verticillium stripe was first confirmed in Manitoba. Both awareness and prevalence of the disease have increased across the Prairies since then, but there are still gaps to be filled… Read More
Category: Canola School
Canola School is everything you need to stay informed on the latest Canola market developments. Real Agriculture brings you the most up to date Canola farming information to help increase your yields all season long.
It won’t be long before final decisions on seeding rate, seeding date, and pre-seed burndown are made. Every year holds a certain level of unknown, but a few key pests are proving to be a likely issue for the coming growing season. For this episode of the Canola School, Lyndsey Smith is joined by editor… Read More
Verticillium has been impacting canola crops in Manitoba for over a decade, but it is now spreading across the Canadian Prairies. According to Jeanette Gaultier of BASF, while verticillium was first detected in Manitoba around ten years ago, it has since been found in every canola growing region of Canada, except the Atlantic provinces. Verticillium… Read More
As canola harvest wraps up for another season, it’s an important time for growers and agronomists to get out into fields and scout for disease. Walking fields in the weeks after harvest helps paint a picture of what diseases may be lingering in the soil or crop residue, which can be important when considering a… Read More
Verticillium wilt is a well known global disease that impacts many different crops. Verticillium stripe, however, is a lesser-known disease and one impacting canola, specifically. They may have similar names, however, they are not nearly the same disease, and it’s important to know that when discussing the disease, says Clint Jurke of the Canola Council… Read More
Agronomic strategies that maximize fertilizer efficiency should be good for a farm’s financial bottom line and the environment, but specific decisions about how fertilizer is applied should be made with the overall outcome in mind, stresses Marla Riekman, soil management specialist with Manitoba Agriculture. The 4Rs — the right source at the right rate, right… Read More
Advancements in RNA interference (RNAi) technology could soon unlock new tools for managing canola pests and pathogens, such as sclerotinia and flea beetles. RNAi — ribonucleic acid interference — involves targeting specific RNA sequences in a disease or pest, rather than targeting entire proteins or enzymes, as is the case with current pesticides. It’s a… Read More
“We’ve always done it that way” isn’t always the best approach in farming, and that includes the decision on how much fertilizer to put down with canola at seeding. Canola is sensitive to fertilizer toxicity, especially in dry soil conditions. It’s well worth revisiting what’s traditionally been considered a safe rate in the seed row,… Read More
There’s so much to observe and learn from a well set-up trial. This growing season, we’re following a set of trials with Robert MacDonald, manager of agronomic excellence with BASF, looking at several aspects of canola production. Earlier, MacDonald dug into seeding rate and depth differences. In this episode of the Canola School, MacDonald runs… Read More
To till or not to till? It’s an ongoing conversation in areas where water is controlled through irrigation or risk of soil erosion is high. Carlo Van Herk, research technician with Farming Smarter, says strip tillage ahead of a canola crop could be the answer, as it creates a happy medium between soil water conservation… Read More
Canola has a very high sulphur need, unlike most other annual crops. Sulphur is relatively mobile in the soil, but not in the plant. It’s also a nutrient that comes in a readily-available and slow-release form. All told, sulphur management of canola takes some careful planning and forethought, with a few key cautions thrown in…. Read More
Bertha armyworm isn’t necessarily an insect pest the Prairies have had huge amounts of trouble with over the last few years. Which is exactly why it may be our turn for an “on” cycle, says Keith Gabert of the Canola Council of Canada. If there are bertha armyworm in the field, it’s important to get… Read More
There’s plenty to learn from early scouting trips across the field, including seed survival, seeding depth, and evaluating the effectiveness of inputs so far. One of those key early inputs includes a seed treatment, and one of the most common uses for insecticidal seed treatments on canola is to fight flea beetles. Because feeding on… Read More
When’s the best time to control cutworms in canola? For growers wanting to take out the pest it’s best to put away the sun glasses and reach for the night vision goggles. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Canola School, BASF agronomist Leighton Blashko walks a field of canola near Sherwood Park, Alta., and tells… Read More
Heading out to the field within a few weeks of canola emergence is a great way to fully assess seeder performance, stand establishment and uniformity, and identify early insect pressure. When assessing plant establishment, it’s important to distinguish between a seedling that is intended and one that’s perhaps a holdover volunteer from a past crop…. Read More