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
Category: Canola Seeding
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
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
When it comes to seed-placed fertilizer, canola can be quite sensitive. According to Shawn Senko of the Canola Council of Canada (CCC), for the most part the only nutrient you need in-furrow with the canola seed is phosphorus, as it has an early season uptake and doesn’t move very far. There are published seed safety… Read More
The growing season is busy. From before the crop goes into the ground, to after it’s harvested, there are a million different things on the go. Although skipping any steps is frowned upon, one step that should never be skipped is a proper sprayer tank clean out, says Shawn Senko of the Canola Council of… Read More
The ground may freeze and the plants stop growing, but there’s no “off season” for good agronomy. Just because the crop is in the bin, doesn’t mean we should stop thinking about how to improve production. The way to do that, says Leighton Blashko of BASF, is to think of the 5 Ws of planning… Read More
Canola gives growers a little bit more leeway compared to other crops when it comes to growing in saline soil conditions. However, proper management of these areas is still needed to make sure they don’t get worse as the years go on. On this Canola School episode, we are joined by Ken Wall, grow team… Read More
Seed toxicity can severely impede canola yield, and it can be difficult to determine just how much nitrogen is needed in the seed row to see maximum results, while mitigating losses from possible seed toxicity. On this episode of Canola School, Ken Wall, grow team advisor with Federated Co-operatives Ltd, breaks down seed toxicity and… Read More
There’s been a fair amount of interest in comparing the results of canola seeded with a drill versus a planter over the last decade, but as the percentage of acres sown with planters has increased, farmers and agronomists are also looking to compare different planter setups. This Canola School episode takes us to a planter… Read More
Farmers aren’t short on decisions to make on any given year, and canola growers choosing a specific variety will dictate, for the most part, whether they will be swathing or straight-cutting come harvest time. On this episode of the Canola School, we talk with Jaden Wood-Sparrow, agronomy lead with G-Mac’s AgTeam, about swathing vs. straight cutting… Read More
When getting ready for the new crop year, understanding the proper application, amount and maybe even the type of phosphorus on the canola crop can have a significant impact on yield, come harvest. On this episode of the Canola School, Warren Ward, agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada, goes through some minimums and maximums… Read More