Crop Still Playing Catch-Up

Environmental stresses continue to be the dominant and common threat to canola production in western Canada this week. Canola seeding is not yet finished in parts of Manitoba and some re-seeding due to frost has occurred in all provinces. Multiple frosts have affected crop staging with a range of plant growth from cotyledon to 4-leaf in the same field. It is estimated in all Regions that canola growth and development is delayed by 10 days to 2 weeks.

In Manitoba, Growing Degree Days (GDD) to date range between 50 to 60% of normal (http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/climate/wad00s00/cropwxrep.pdf).

The following maps show growing degree days (majority 60 to 85% of normal) thus far across western Canada:http://www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/drought/prtgdd_e.htm

The following link has more information on how temperature effects canola growth: http://www.canolacouncil.org/chapter5.aspx.