In Some Locales, The Skies Opened Up

Across western Canada rainfall was common late last week and over the weekend. Rainfall amounts generally averaged one to two inches but some areas reported much more (three to five inches in parts of northern Manitoba including the Swan River Valley; in Saskatchewan: up to five inches near North Battleford, four inches near Weyburn, and up to three inches near Corinne, Humboldt, and Waldheim; and in Alberta: up to seven inches near Youngstown, five inches at Castor, and three inches at Coronation). Hail was also reported in several locations in Manitoba near Brandon, LaSalle, Domain, and Sanford and at Moosomin, SK. Crop damage was reportedly severe (approaching 100%) at Moosomin and in some fields in Manitoba particularly north of Brandon. Parts of central and north eastern Alberta received no rainfall and so dry conditions in those areas persist. The Peace Region did receive rain, although less than in other parts of the Prairies (less than half an inch).

Maps of current moisture conditions in western Canada from PFRA are available at:
http://www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/drought/prpay09_e.htm
http://www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/drought/prpgs09_e.htm
Additional moisture information for Alberta is available from Alberta Environment at:
http://www.environment.alberta.ca/forecasting/data/precipmaps/weekly.pdf

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Brief Heat, More Needed

The risk of an early fall frost and its impact on crop quality continues to be one of the greatest concerns.  A few days of summer-like temperatures (high 20’s to low 30’s) appeared in a number of areas before the rains began and crop development was noticeably accelerated. However, it was not long-lived and it appears cool daytime temperatures and low overnight temperatures (down to single digits) have returned. Light frost was again reported in parts of Alberta. On Friday morning, temperatures of -0.5 to -2oC were reported at Morinville and Dapp, respectively and -1oC was reported at Beaverlodge in the Peace region.  The canola crop is generally finished flowering with earliest fields generally having about 10 to 20% colour change. Swathing is just beginning in the very earliest fields that are reaching 30 to 40% colour change in southwestern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Southern regions are about a week to 10 days away before swathing becomes general and northern regions are about two or three weeks away. All regions need significant heat to hasten crop maturity. The absence of the first significant fall frost until at least mid to late September is also important.
 
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/crprpt090810
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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Possible to Reduce Frost Damage?

A number of products are being marketed to enhance the crops’ protection from environmental stresses such as frost. The Canola Council of Canada agronomists are not aware of any scientific research in western Canada to support such claims. Growers who are considering applying a product for such a purpose are encouraged to ask for scientific research data to help with decision-making. If growers do choose to use such a product, as with any other new product, start small on a limited number of acres and keep an untreated check strip for comparison. Conducting an on-farm experiment will help determine if the investment was economical.

Swathing prior to a frost is generally not a good strategy either unless adequate seed colour change has occurred. In order for a swathed crop to be protected from a frost, it must have been swathed long enough for sufficient dry down to occur prior to the frost event (typically at least three full days). Swathing too early, just to avoid the risk of frost, can often translate into yield and quality losses.

More information on how frost affects the maturing canola seed is available at the following link:

https://canola-council.merchantsecure.com/canola_resources/product39.aspx

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Lygus Numbers Variable – Scout Thoroughly

Lygus populations continue to be monitored in the Peace Region of Alberta and BC and in southern Alberta. Populations are variable as many fields are exceeding economic thresholds (as much as three to four times higher) and still many others remain below threshold levels. Each field must be assessed for lygus on an individual basis. Scout all fields to determine the population levels in each individual field. Scout thoroughly as well, as high populations requiring control have been present only on field edges (not throughout the field) in some instances. When scouting for lygus, it is important to note the stage of the crop and insect. Young nymphs will do very little damage compared to later instars and adults. Later maturing fields may still be at significant risk but fields nearing maturity may escape the damage.  That’s because they will be less vulnerable, since pod texture becomes rubbery and tougher for lygus bugs to pierce. For more information on lygus monitoring refer to the following interview with Erin Brock, Peace region agronomy specialist on the ACPC website: http://www.canola.ab.ca/agronomic/grow_with_canola.html

Young lygus nymphs are pale green and resemble aphids but have five small black dots and no cornicles. Adult lygus bugs are pale green to reddish brown/black with a “V” mark one third of the way down their backs. Lygus cause damage by feeding on leaves, stems, flowers, and pods, resulting in flower blasting and shriveled seeds. There is a range for the economic threshold depending on crop stage and price.  More information is available at the following link: http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/insects/fad12s00.html.

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Grasshoppers Migrating?

Grasshoppers appear to be migrating into canola fields to feed on pods in the drier parts of southwestern Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan. Continue scouting for grasshoppers because if caught early, perimeter spraying may be all that is needed.  A specific economic threshold for grasshoppers in canola has not been established as it is not a preferred host crop, but it is currently considered to be in the range of 7 to 14 per m2, depending on the crop value and cost for control. More information on grasshoppers is available at the following link: http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex6463

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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. 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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How to Even-Out an Uneven Stand?

Council agronomists are starting to field a number of calls about how to hasten maturity of late canola plants within a field. Uneven fields are not good candidates for straight cutting. Applying a desiccant to an uneven crop will still leave too much green material and this material can cause significant problems in storage. With the stagey crops this year, cutting may be the best option to even out maturity.

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Harvest Around the Corner – Where is the Greatest Potential?

During pod fill is a good time to assess yield potential leading up to harvest. The variable staging this year has not evened out and will require more management at harvest. It may be beneficial to mark or section off fields based on similar staging and yield potential. Know where the greatest yield potential is within the field and plan to focus on protecting it the most. The greatest yield potential includes the plants with most seeds but also earliest maturing to escape a fall frost. Yield potential can be determined by counting the number of pods on a plant and the number of seeds per pod. Pods can be plucked and held up to the light to determine the number of seeds within the pod. Is the staging so variable that a desiccant may be needed to hasten maturity on the latest plants? Would swathing be better than straight cutting or vice versa? Is there a lot of green weed growth that will require a pre-harvest application?

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Variable Stages Benefit from Pod Sealant?

With the variable stages in this year’s canola crop, questions about the benefits of applying a pod sealant are surfacing. Pod sealants are relatively new to the Canadian marketplace and limited scientific research has been conducted with these products under western Canadian conditions. These products are designed to reduce shattering losses by preventing the pods from splitting open during ripening. As with any new agronomic tool where information on its performance under our environmental conditions is limited, it is always a good strategy to start small in order to learn what works best. Part of this learning should involve leaving check strips of an untreated area. By conducting your own on-farm experiment, you will be able to determine whether the application was beneficial and worth the investment in your situation.

Most of the questions regarding these products have focused on application timing. The information provided by the companies suggests that the majority of the pods should be changing colour from green to yellow but the pods should still be pliable enough to fold over without splitting open. It is still important for there to be enough seed colour change within the pods to allow curing and harvesting within the window of protection provided by the product you are using. The best advice is to consult with your company representative on the ideal timing for your fields. One other general tip that applies to these products is to stick with the high water volumes recommended by the company. Thorough coverage of all the pods is very important because these products form a physical coating to seal the pods against splitting open.

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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 likely will be hampered. To reduce potential losses from swaths blowing, keep the following recommendations in mind:

• Swath in the direction of 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 may take longer.

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Check for Colour Change on Side Branches Too

As the calendar progresses and the risk of fall frost nears, it may be tempting to swath earlier than optimal. Growers must ensure that seed colour change is occurring when assessing the proper time to swath. Do not use plant or pod colour to gauge proper timing because some pods will appear ripe on the outside before the seeds are mature. Some varieties will show pod colour change long before the seeds do, while the opposite is true of other varieties. This year, significant yield may be contributed by side branches so seed colour change needs to be scouted on the side branches as well as the main stem. Open up pods and look at the colour of the seeds to accurately assess swathing timing. Research indicates that the optimum stage to swath for both yield and quality is up to an average of 60% seed colour change (SCC).

However, for growers faced with uneven maturity within fields, it may not be possible to swath all the crop in the 50-60% SCC window. In situations where uneven maturity is the problem, the best approach is to swath when the most mature plants are close to 60% SCC, 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: Harvesting Mult-Stage Crop

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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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