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Canola Council of Canada

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• Be export ready: Don’t seed these varieties

  Canada has a reputation for producing safe, high quality canola — a reputation that is well deserved. Most importing countries will not accept canola shipments containing de-registered varieties, so don’t grow the following varieties: Hysyn 101RR, 295BX, Cartier BX, Zodiac BX, Renegade BX, Exceed, 2631 LL, Swallow, SW Legion LL, SW Flare LL, LBD 2393 [...]

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• Soil Moisture Still Poor to Excess

  Soil Moisture Still Poor to Excess Unseasonably cool and dry conditions prevailed across the prairies last week.  Spotty rainshowers and a few snow flurries meant additional moisture was received but these events were quite localized. As a result, soil moisture conditions continue to range from poor to excess. In Manitoba, much of the Red River [...]

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• Seeding Well Underway

  Seeding operations progressed late last week and over the weekend. Where conditions are wet, acres are being seeded on a field by field basis. Seeding in the wetter areas is probably five to 10% complete. In the drier areas, seeding of cereals and pulses is nearing completion and seeding of canola is becoming more general [...]

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• Grow an Export Ready Variety

  Ensure your variety is Canola Export Ready. It is very important that no de-registered varieties be planted because they can jeopardize export markets. For more information on which varieties and pesticides are NOT approved for use in Canada visit the Canola Council of Canada’s Export Ready site:http://www.canola-council.org/export_ready.aspx  

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• Keep Good Records

  Now is the time of year to have a pen and paper handy. Keep good records. Write things down while details are still fresh. Note things such as seeding date, rate, fertilizer applied, herbicides applied, etc. Always keep a seed sample and the blue seed tag from each variety and seed lot sown. Store stamples [...]

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• Time for a Germination Check

  Some areas have had canola seeded for almost two weeks now. You may question the viability of the seed, especially under recent growing conditions. Even if surface emergence is not apparent, scrape back the soil and find the seeds. The condition of the seeds can help determine the state of germination/emergence. Hard seeds are probably [...]

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• Frost on Emerged Canola

  Frost has been reported regularly and the forecast for the coming days remains cool with over-night frost in many areas. If canola has emerged, remember a proper assessment of frost damage can’t be made for several days, until it can be determined if new growth is appearing on damaged plants. One benefit of the growing [...]

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• Pre-Seed Burnoff Gives Canola the Edge

  Weeds that emerge before or with a canola crop will cause greater yield losses than weeds that emerge after the crop is established (approximately the 4- to 6-leaf stage). The purpose of either a pre-seed burnoff or post-seed, pre-emergent herbicide application is the same: to protect a young canola crop from the yield losses that [...]

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• Herbicide Options – Systemic vs. Contact

  Cool growing conditions have limited the amount of weed growth in fields this spring. These cool conditions can also affect herbicide performance. Formulation and target weeds must be considered when deciding on the time required between application and disturbance from tillage or seeding. Remember that glyphosate is a systemic herbicide that needs time to work [...]

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• Many Acres Seeded Without A Burnoff

  Continued cool conditions have resulted in many acres being seeded without a pre-seed burnoff application. In these fields, weed control may be achieved post-seeding but prior to emergence. Post-seeding herbicide applications can be effective when well managed. Weeds should be assessed post-seeding for mechanical damage and dust cover. Herbicide application must occur before the crop [...]

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• First Flea Beetles Reported

  One good thing about the cool conditions lately is not much insect activity has been reported.  However, in Grand Prairie County of the Peace River Region striped flea beetle feeding has been observed. Striped flea beetles tend to be more active under cool conditions. As conditions warm in the coming weeks, be on the lookout [...]

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• Monitoring the Winds

  Diamond-back moth is an insect that is “imported” each year from the southern United States and Mexico. The insect is carried on strong winds from the south into the canola growing areas of western Canada. Again this season, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada are keeping an eye on the wind. Wind trajectories at the altitude where [...]

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• Collect Your Wireworms

  Wireworm has been seen in fields that have been taken out of perennial forage in southern Alberta. Fields that were just recently taken out of perennial forage production should be evaluated for canola production suitability. Since there are no control measures for wireworm in canola, this must be done on a field by field basis. [...]

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• Clean for Clubroot

  A soil test in west-central Saskatchewan has shown the potential presence of the clubroot pathogen’s DNA. Further testing is being conducted to confirm the results and determine whether the pathogen is viable. This incidence emphasizes the importance of equipment cleaning, especially when moving from affected or suspected areas to clubroot-free areas. Check the following news [...]

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