Spring canola yields have been strong in Ontario in the past two years, but are we meeting our yield potential? Are there ways to profitably increase yields?
In 2017 a trial was conducted by Deb Campbell of Agronomy Advantage Inc. and Darcy Martin on Darcy’s farm in Kenilworth, Ontario to test and demonstrate management practices that maximize canola yields. Profitability comparisons were made across the various treatments. The trial was conducted at one site in one year, so further testing would be required to validate the results, but Campbell and Martin’s work demonstrates some management practices farmers can consider trying on their own farms.
Treatments included the following:
- Seeding with a John Deere drill on 7.5” rows vs. Monosem twin row planter on 30” centers
- Seeding rates of approx. 3, 4.75 and 6.25 lb/ac with the Monosem planter, and 5 lb/ac with the drill
- Nitrogen rates of 110 lb actual N/ac pre-plant, compared to split applications of 110 lb pre-plant
followed by 40, 78 or 115 lb in crop at full rosette
The trial was planted May 15, 2017 with the variety Bayer InVigor L233P. The field was chisel ploughed in the previous fall, and cultivated 2 times prior to planting. The various seeding rates were seeded in strips 40’ wide and 400’ long, with the planted and drilled strips alternating every 40’. Nitrogen was applied pre-plant at 110 lb/ac over the whole trial area. The three different in-crop nitrogen rates were applied across the plots, perpendicular to the direction of seeding (Figure 1). Plots that had nitrogen applied in-crop also received 2 passes with Proline foliar fungicide. Data was collected through the season on rate of emergence, plant height, branching, stalk diameter, lodging, white mould and yield.
It is suspected that rates of nitrogen commonly applied in Ontario canola may not be high enough to support yield potential. Canola requires approximately 3-3.5 pounds of nitrogen per bushel of grain produced. The yield goal for this field was 75 bu/ac, so the highest nitrogen rate used in the trial (225 lb/ac) reflects the 3 lb N/bu requirement. The form of nitrogen used in the trial was Amidas, a homogenous granular fertilizer containing urea and ammonium sulfate (7:1 N to S ratio). During the season, some potassium deficiency was observed in tissue testing.
Canola Emergence : Conditions were moist in the spring, leading to excellent rates of emergence. Nearly all plots, regardless of seeding rate or planting equipment, had approximately 100% emergence by 28 days after planting. In contrast, emergence rates in Ontario typically range from 60-75%. In the strip planted with 6.25 lb of seed/ac (not replicated) only 66% emergence was observed at 28 days after planting, indicating there may have been an error in seeding.
At 8 days after planting, plots seeded with the Monosem planter had reached greater than 30% emergence, while those seeded with the drill had lower than 20% emergence. In addition, the final number of plants/ft2 ranged from 11.7 – 12.9 in the plots seeded at 4.75 lb/ac with the Monosem planter whereas plots seeded with the drill at 5 lb/ac had stands ranging from 12.4 – 17.4 plants/ft2. Although final plant stands were similar, the more precise placement of seed with the Monosem planter resulted in faster emergence and more consistent stands compared to the drill.
Source : Field Crop News