Keep the Heat Coming

Generally warm, dry conditions prevailed across the prairies last week and over the weekend which has helped advance crop development. Swathing is underway in southwestern and central Manitoba, southwestern Saskatchewan, and southern Alberta. A few of the very earliest fields in these areas have been combined. Swathing is just beginning in other regions. Overall, the crop has about 40% seed colour change and if hot, dry conditions continue it is anticipated that swathing will become general in all areas within a week to 10 days. Harvest management continues to be challenging due to the variable stages within fields. For instance, some areas of Alberta that were dry early in the season, then received rainfall in early July, now have fields with flowering plants as well as plants that are nearing maturity.

The latest crop report from Manitoba Agriculture, Food & Rural Initiatives is available at: http://web2.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/mwcr/index.php
The latest crop report from Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture is available at:
http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/crprpt090826
The latest crop report from Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development is available at:
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/sdd4191#2009
The following maps show growing degree days accumulating across western Canada this growing season: http://www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/drought/prtgdd_e.htm

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Check Closer - It Might be Sunscald

Sunscald has been appearing in some fields in many areas. It is important to diagnose because sunscald can make the plant appear riper that it actually is. Always examine seed colour change to determine maturity for timing of swathing. Sunscald occurs when plants are ripening during periods of stress such as heat. The main symptom is purpling on the stems and pods. The purpling is an abiotic stress response caused by periods of stress when the plants are ripening. The purpling is likely due to higher levels of anthocyanin pigment and a lack of chlorophyll in the naturally senescing tissue and often shows up more in some varieties than others. Confirm sunscald by checking the underside of the pods or branches (areas not exposed to the sun) for normal pod colour.

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Premature Ripening? Might Mean Late-Season Disease

It is important to scout fields and examine plants to know what is causing symptoms such as premature ripening. Don’t let the colour change of a small percentage of diseased plants affect the harvest timing of the whole field!

Across the prairies, there are several reports of late-season diseases, especially sclerotinia and blackleg. In some fields, there is a significant amount of sclerotinia (up to 30% infection). In Manitoba, some of these fields were protected with a fungicide (at 20 to 30% bloom) and it appears the infection occurred later near the end of flowering. There is still reasonable seed set in some fields on these plants so they need to be considered when staging for swathing, but in most cases they represent much less than half of the total yield. Swathing the healthy plants prematurely in an attempt to salvage these diseased plants may lead to decreased yield and green seed issues. Evaluate the entire field for yield potential and determine what portion of yield these plants represent when gauging swathing timing. The best strategy may often be to focus on swathing when the healthy crop is at the proper stage, utilizing the overnight or morning dew to minimize shattering of the diseased plants as much as possible.

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Using Canola as Forage

Questions continue about cutting canola crops abandoned due to drought or frost damage for forage. Canola crops can make palatable feed and can be fed to cattle provided precautions are taken. On a dry matter basis, canola as a forage has a crude protein of 12% to 14%, and can be as high as 16% or more and total digestible nutrients TDN (energy) average 55% to 60%. More information on using canola as forage is available at the following link:
http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=8733c510-d266-45ae-8904-f00b02a36b04

An interview on making canola silage with Barry Yaremico with the Alberta Agriculture Ag Info Centre is available at the ACPC website at: http://www.canola.ab.ca/agronomic/grow_with_canola.html

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Flea Beetles – Record Keeping May Be All That is Needed

High numbers of flea beetles have been observed in eastern Saskatchewan, southwestern Manitoba and near St. Albert, AB. A surge in flea beetle numbers is common at this time of year but is rarely an economic concern. As many as 300 adults per canola plant have been observed by researchers with no noticeable feeding damage on pods or plants. However, keep records noting where the high populations are at harvest because that can be an indicator for where insect pressure may be high next spring.

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Scout and Learn From the 2009 Crop

Discovery of late-season diseases can help you evaluate you management decisions made earlier in the year and assist with management decisions for next year. Fields with high levels of sclerotinia should be noted and crop rotation should be evaluated. High levels of sclerotia returned to the soil this fall can increase the risk of sclerotinia next year in canola and other susceptible broadleaf crops (e.g. sunflowers, field beans, lentils, etc.). If sclerotinia is present and a fungicide was applied, evaluate that decision. Was a check strip used to determine if the disease was at least suppressed? Is it obvious infection occurred late in the flowering period, suggesting a later or split application may have been more effective? Was a fungicide not applied and perhaps should be under similar conditions in the future? The incidence of blackleg should also be noted. A variety with maximum tolerance (‘R’ rated) should be selected next year if high incidence of blackleg is observed and the crop rotation re-evaluated. More information on fall scouting is available at the following link: http://www.canola-council.org/news/1816/scout_now_to_learn_why.aspx

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Drying Down Glyphosate-Tolerant Canola

Particularly in Alberta, there are questions about the use of herbicides to dry down or desiccate glyphosate-tolerant canola plants, either an entire canola field or when present as weeds in cereal crops. There are no products registered as a desiccant on glyphosate-tolerant canola except Reglone. ALWAYS be Export Ready and avoid the use of unregistered products for canola desiccation or dry down. There are no products registered for the control of glyphosate-tolerant canola in cereals. Glyphosate can be used to assist with dry down of the cereal but the tolerant-volunteers will remain uncontrolled. For more information, the following link has an audio interview with Harry Brook, Ag Info Centre, http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/newslett.nsf/all/cotl15470.

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How to Swath with Variable Stages

For growers faced with uneven maturity within fields, it may not be possible to swath all the crop in the 50-60% seed colour change window. In situations where uneven maturity is the problem, the best approach is to swath when the most mature plants are close to 60% seed colour change, provided that the least mature plants are showing some seed colour change at the base of the main stem and that seeds in the upper pods (and branches) are dark green and firm (if maturity varies more than this consult the link regarding multi stage crops below). This will minimize yield loss from seed shrinkage and improve the odds that the seed will cure, although it will likely take longer and may require some more moist conditions. Swathing prior to 15 to 20% seed colour change will likely reduce some yield potential, and could contribute to green seed issues under hot and/or dry conditions.

More information is available on the "Canola Time of Swathing Guide" at the following link:
https://canola-council.merchantsecure.com/canola_resources/product12.aspx
More information on harvesting a multi-stage crop is available at the following link: http://www.canola-council.org/uploads/Crop%20Production/Swathing%20and%20Harvesting%20Multiple%20Stage%20Crops%20MurDH%20-%20final%20draft%20(2).pdf

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Anchoring Short Canola Stands

Questions are starting about swathing this year’s crop with low plant stands and shortened crop height as the ability to anchor the swath to the stubble will likely be hampered. To reduce potential losses from swaths blowing, keep the following recommendations in mind:

• Swath parallel to the typical prevailing winds in the area.
• Cut the plants as high as possible, just below the lowest pod.
• Using a properly adjusted swath roller, push down the swath so that the edges are nestled into the stubble. Because the swath will be on or close to the ground, curing and/or dry down time may take longer.

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Swathing Early Under High Temperatures

There have been reports of producers cutting fields that are too green, especially in the recent heat. Avoid the urge to swath too early, especially under high temperatures. The optimum time to swath is when the majority of the crop has achieved 60% seed colour change. Waiting for this stage allows the crop to enter the dry down phase while still standing and does not require as much curing in the swath. Growers with large acreages to cover may need to start swathing earlier. The best fields to start cutting before 60% seed colour change are those that are most uniform in maturity with a dense stand (not a lot of side branching). Waiting for at least 30% SCC will capture most of the yield potential because the bulk of the seed will be past physiological maturity and be entering the dry down phase. Growers should avoid swathing during the hottest part of the day to minimize shattering of mature pods and slow dry down of less mature ones. This is particularly important in the situations described above. Slower dry down aids the curing process, which is important for reducing the chance for green seed issues. Swathing in the late evening through early morning hours when moisture levels are higher also helps in situations where hail or insect damage is present, or diseases have predisposed the plants to shattering.

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Combining in High Temperatures

Some of the earliest fields in the southern prairies may be combined in the coming days. It is important to remember that canola storage can be a concern even at seed moisture levels considered dry when the canola is binned at high temperatures. Use aeration to bring down the temperature of binned canola. It should be conditioned to below 15 °C and 8% moisture for long term storage.

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Residue Management for 2010’s Canola

The cold emergence period this spring was certainly challenging but in some fields was aggravated by poor residue management in the previous crop. As harvest gets underway, consider residue management in fields destined for canola in 2010. Good chaff spreading and straw dispersal can help ensure good soil to seed contact next spring. Stand establishment has been one of the greatest challenges for canola production across the prairies this year. Good stand establishment for 2010’s canola starts with good residue management of this harvest.

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Questions & Contacts

Direct questions regarding this report to John Mayko, Senior Agronomy Specialist with the Canola Council of Canada at maykoj@canolacouncil.org, 780-764-2593.
Direct specific questions regarding regional issues to one of the following Canola Council of Canada regional agronomists or provincial oilseed specialists:
Derwyn Hammond, Senior Agronomy Specialist Manitoba, hammondd@canolacouncil.org, 204-729-9011
Anastasia Kubinec, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, anastasia.kubinec@gov.mb.ca, 204-745-5645
Jim Bessel, Senior Agronomy Specialist, Central Saskatchewan, besselj@canolacouncil.org, 306-373-6771
Tiffany Martinka, Agronomy Specialist, Eastern Saskatchewan, martinkat@canolacouncil.org, 306-231-3663
Venkata Vakulabharanam, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Venkata.Vakulabharanam@gov.sk.ca, (306)787-4668
Doug Moisey, Senior Agronomy Specialist, East Central Alberta and Northwestern Saskatchewan, moiseyd@canolacouncil.org, 780-645-9205
Erin Brock, Agronomy Specialist, Peace Region, brocke@canolacouncil.org,
780-568-3326
Murray Hartman, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, murray.hartman@gov.ab.ca, 403-782-8024
Kerry Clark, BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Kerry.Clark@gov.bc.ca, 250-784-2559
The Canola Watch Report provides just-in-time information on canola production to growers and industry. Contributors to the Canola Agronomy Network are:
Alberta Canola Producers Commission; Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, SaskCanola, Saskatchewan Canola Growers Association, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Manitoba Canola Growers Association, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, Peace River Agriculture Development Fund, B.C. Ministry of Agriculture & Lands, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and the Canola Council of Canada.

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