1. Take part in the Ultimate Canola Challenge. As part of UCC 2017, CCC staff will help growers set up a nitrogen rate trial. The CCC is also finalizing protocols for stand establishment and seeding rate trials to coincide with the new calculator. Link to UCC protocols and contact information. http://www.canolacouncil.org/crop-production/ultimate-canola-challenge/
2. AAFC Brandon is testing pest management practices and habitat enhancement practices that may impact native pollinators. They are looking for canola growers within 55 km of Brandon to allow bee research on their property. Contact Melanie Dubois at melanie.dubois@agr.gc.ca or 204-578-6646.
3. Insect specialists are looking for canola fields to validate economic thresholds for lygus and flea beetles. They will set up block treatments within a field. Monitoring is done by the research team but growers will need to spray the strips (if necessary) and provide yields for each strip. Researchers in Manitoba would prefer locations within 200 km of Winnipeg. For Manitoba, contact Tharshi Nagalingam at kstlk2001@yahoo.com or Manitoba Agriculture’s John Gavloski at john.gavloski@gov.mb.ca. Outside Manitoba, contact AAFC research scientist Hector Carcamo at Hector.Carcamo@AGR.GC.CA.
4. The University of Calgary and the Alberta Canola Producers Association seek help in a large project aimed at determining where in the landscape yield is maximized. They would like GPS yield data from combines for a 2-3 year period for one field (or more). Shelterbelts, grassed spaces, tree lines, hedgerows, fence lines and wetlands can impact crop yield around them. Literature from the UK, Northern Europe, the USA and Australia suggests this is a very positive relationship. U of C wants to see if the same is true in Canada.
Source : Albertacanola