With canola prices where they’re at, producers want to hit those optimum yields. There are a few hurdles to overcome this year though, as high fertilizer prices and dry conditions might limit starter fertilizer rates. In this Canola School episode, Kara Oosterhuis is joined by Jack Payne, grow team advisor at Federated Co-operatives Ltd., on… Read More

Flea beetles are a common insect pest in early growing canola across the Prairies. There are two important species of concern for canola (and mustard) growers: the striped flea beetle and the crucifer flea beetle. “The feeding is indistinguishable, but the striped flea beetle comes up earlier,” says James Tansey, provincial entomologist with Saskatchewan Ministry… Read More

Any time you’re growing canola, and any field you’re growing it in, clubroot should be on your mind. For Leighton Blashko, senior technical specialist at BASF Canada, the two most important things when it comes to this yield-robbing disease are sanitation and avoidance. In this Canola School episode, Blashko and field editor Kara Oosterhuis talk about… Read More

Starting the year off on the right foot requires a little bit of forethought and planning. When it comes to keeping a canola crop clean during the early stages of growth, there are some steps to take before even seeding the crop. Dr. Charles Geddes, research scientist in weed ecology and cropping systems at Agriculture… Read More

Early spring is a great time to check out how well residue was spread from the previous harvest. Having uniform residue management can make all the difference for seedbed preparation, seeding, and getting that uniform canola stand. In this Canola School episode, Leighton Blashko, senior technical specialist with BASF, joins Kara Oosterhuis in the field… Read More

When there wasn’t a lot of rain in the fall, and even less precipitation in the winter, dry seeding conditions are a concern. The choice between chasing moisture or waiting for a rain to seed can be daunting. Allison McLellan, technical service specialist with BASF, joins Kara Oosterhuis for this Canola School episode about tips for seeding… Read More

You may not have heard of the Western Canada Canola/Rapeseed Recommending Committee (WCCRRC), but the organization is responsible for setting the framework for canola variety recommendations and the testing system for varieties for western Canada. “Their job is to provide guidance and oversight to the program that I administer on behalf of the WCCRRC as… Read More