There’s no doubt that access to available sulphur is incredibly important to canola development and yield. Applying and managing this nutrient, however, has challenges — ammonium sulfate can be incredibly toxic to young sprouts and other forms of the fertilizer can also take some time before sulphur is made available to the plant. In an… Read More
It’s no secret that the striped flea beetle is a tougher opponent than the more common crucifer flea beetle. This canola pest tends to emerge earlier than the crucifer type and isn’t as easily killed by commonly used seed treatments. That does not mean, however, that the striped flea beetle is resistant to neonicotinoids, as… Read More
Let’s put the gong show of a canola crop that was 2012 behind us and look ahead to 2013. Except that we can’t entirely, because much of what plagued the crop this year is likely to be a factor next year (the one wild card being aster yellows). Clint Jurke, agronomist with the Canola Council… Read More
Stopping the spread of clubroot takes diligence. If you’re in an area where there is a clubroot presence, it’s important to get out and scout your fields regularly looking for signs of infection. If you don’t know you have it, you may unknowingly spread it through soil transfer from equipment moving field to field. If… Read More
Clubroot is gaining traction in Alberta and continues to spread each year. The first line of defense against the spread of clubroot is awareness. That has to include information on identification and prevention in order to be truly effective. That’s why events like the Canola Galla are important. The event was all about getting producers… Read More
It’s not over till it’s over. That’s the truth behind getting out to scout your canola. Until that crop is off the field and in the bin, you need to be out looking for potential pest problems. Even though canola has an incredible ability to recover, late season pests can still do some damage to… Read More
Early is best when it comes to catching any type of canola disease, especially one as potentially devastating as sclerotinia. Scouting your field early and regularly is important, but knowing when your field is vulnerable can also help you to employ preventative measures against sclerotinia. Prevention is the first line of defence against sclerotinia. If… Read More
It’s easy to understand why producers have an itchy trigger finger when it comes to pests. When you walk into a field and see the damage pests are doing to your crops, you want to deal with it yesterday. However, if you pull the trigger to soon on that pest situation, you’ll not only be… Read More
A proper diagnosis is the only way to get a successful treatment. So it is in everything from health issues to car troubles to trouble in the field. When we talk about in-field pest issues, it’s extremely important to get that diagnosis right, and quickly. SEE MORE CANOLA SCHOOL. Cutworms are one of those pests… Read More
There is a lot going on with the insect population inside your canola field and, believe it or not, it’s not all bad. The truth is that some of those little guys can be doing you a huge favour. Beneficial insect populations within your canola can oftentimes keep insect pests at levels that don’t require… Read More
The flea beetle is a menace to canola crops. Typically seed treatments like Helix Xtra and Prosper have controlled flea beetles with ease and uncontrollable populations were relatively rare. The feeding of seed treatment protected plants controlled the crucifer flea beetle which was great for farmers. The striped flea beetle has been showing up in… Read More
The diamondback moth population has arrived earlier and in greater numbers than in the past years. What does this early flight mean for producers? For starters it means that producers have to be out in their fields earlier, scouting for the pest, but it also means that producers have to adapt how they scout. An… Read More
Any type of disease that affects the seedling stage of canola has to be taken seriously. Seedling blight can be devastating to your canola crop before or after germination. Knowing what you’re looking for and how to deal with it can put you in a position to assess your risk and take action that can… Read More
The issue of herbicide resistance is something producers will have to continue to be vigilant about. Careful consideration needs to go into the “when” “how” and “what” to use of your individual weed control strategy. That strategy in turn needs to be balanced with a good sense of corporate responsibility about producer issues like herbicide… Read More
Canola acres across the west have grown continuously over the years. The profitability of canola on the farm has not only expanded acres but also caused producers to tighten rotations. With those increased acres and short rotations the threat of disease becomes magnified. Sclerotinia is one of those diseases that, once established, can have devastating… Read More