Canola Watch – Free, Unbiased, Timely and Research Focused - Timely production tips and information

Canola Council of Canada

• CanolaCouncil.org
• Contact

harvest management

The following articles are categorized as 'harvest management'

• Fast drydown locks in green

  Some elevators are reporting higher green seed counts. Swathing too early and swathing in hot and windy conditions are contributing factors in many cases. Cutting canola in hot conditions leads to rapid dry down and desiccation, which doesn’t give chlorophyll time to clear from immature seed. Waiting until less mature seed is at least firm to roll between thumb and forefinger will help minimize yield reductions from early swathing, but significant curing will still need to take place in the swath to remove green seed.

  READ MORE

• What a few warm days can do

  Growers who want to swath green canola today may gain quite a bit by waiting 2 or 3 days, as long as the forecast suggests a low risk of frost.

  READ MORE

• When to swath multi-stage crops

  If half the field is just beginning seed color change, growers may want to hold off on swathing. By waiting 3 or 4 days, there is minimal risk of frost damage for riper parts of the field and a huge potential benefit for later parts if frost doesn’t occur.

  READ MORE

• When to swath after frost

  While forecast daytime highs are warm for the next few days, some areas may experience light frosts. If frosts do not dip below -2 C, damage is likely to be minor and swathing prematurely may do more harm than good. However, it is important to get out there and check crops to ensure damage is not greater than expected.

  READ MORE

• If pods are brittle, straight combining may be best

  In a situation where a field has matured more rapidly than expected and the majority of plants are beyond 80% seed color change, growers may be better off leaving the crop for straight combining. Swathing may result in costly losses.

  READ MORE

• When to swath after frost

  After a light frost of 0 to -2 C, damage is likely to be minor meaning swathing prematurely may do more harm than good. However, it is important to get out there and check crops to ensure damage is not greater than expected.

  READ MORE

• Crack open pods before swathing

  Just because pods look dry and mature does not mean the seeds are ready for swathing. Sunscald and diseases such as blackleg, sclerotinia and clubroot can make plants look mature but the seeds may still be green. The opposite can also happen where pods look green but the seeds inside are ready. When assessing a canola crop to see if it’s ready, crack open pods on a number of plants throughout the field.

  READ MORE

• Don’t be tempted to swath early

  Swathing early before the recommended 50 to 60% seed colour change in the high temperatures occurring lately will not necessarily mean earlier combining. Under hot, dry conditions crop dry down can occur quickly (drop below 10% moisture) but not crop curing (seed maturation and removal of chlorophyll). Fields that are swathed early (e.g. 20 or 30% seed colour change) and/or swathed during the heat of the day will not cure as quickly as dry down occurs. Curing may take as long as

  READ MORE

• Swathing tips

  Scout fields individually and often. Determine swath timing by breaking open pods and assessing the level of seed colour change. Scouting based on field colour change is not a good indication of seed maturity. Maturity can change quickly and it may help to open up the field with a swath cut around the perimeter to grasp where the field is at. Scout fields individually since

  READ MORE

• Using a swath roller takes skill

  Swathing widths have increased in recent years to 30 feet and beyond. A heavy crop cut at thirty feet or more needs only gentle downward pressure on the middle of the swath to be anchored properly. Air movement within the swath is important during curing and dry down.

  The swath roller should lightly tuck edges. Being too aggressive with the swath roller may cause shattering of the more mature plants. The roller should

  READ MORE