In this issue:
(click the bookmarked links below to move to specific sections of this report)
The Alberta Canola Producers Commission (ACPC) has developed an Alberta focused version of this report. Visit the ACPC website at: http://www.canola.ab.ca
Crop development continues to progress but remains varied. Early seeded crops in southern areas are within a week of being ready to swath, whereas later seeded crops in many areas are still in full bloom. Most crops are either currently finishing or have finished blooming and pod development is progressing. Recent heat in many areas has hastened crop development. Overall, established canola crops throughout western Canada appear to be in good to excellent condition, except for areas that have suffered flooding. Soil moisture conditions range from fair to excess, with some areas of northwestern Manitoba, Saskatchewan and central Alberta in need of some additional rain to continue adequate pod filling. Normally, these lower levels of soil moisture are not a problem, but the generally shallow root systems of many of this year’s crops predispose them to moisture stress without regular rain.
For current maps of moisture conditions from PFRA for western Canada, check the following link: http://www.agr.gc.ca/pfra/drought/prpay05_e.htm
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 and soil moisture map from Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food & Rural Revitalization is available at:
http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/reports/crop_report/crprpt050801.pdf
Additional moisture information for Alberta is available from Alberta Environment at:
http://www3.gov.ab.ca/env/water/ws/data/precipmaps/precipmaps.html
Hail was reported in many areas with associated thunderstorms. In fields that are not completely destroyed, hail damage can allow points of entry for diseases such as sclerotinia stem rot, alternaria black spot and blackleg to infect canola plants. Also, as crops become more mature the opportunity for recovery from damage declines. Further information is available at the following link: http://www.canola-council.org/stress_hail.aspx
Insect activity of lygus, cabbage seedpod weevil and diamondback larvae is reported low in most areas at this time. Bertha armyworm numbers are generally low in most areas as well, except for the central Peace near Eaglesham, AB and Falher, AB where some spraying is taking place. Bertha moth trap monitoring indicates areas of higher risk in the Lloydminster, AB/SK region and the Swan River, MB area. Growers need to continue monitoring for all these pests right through to swathing, as these low numbers can suddenly increase from subsequent generations and cause substantial yield losses on developing pods. Also, it is important to note that sweep nets are not appropriate for determining if the economic threshold of either diamondback moth or bertha armyworm larvae has been reached. If you are sweeping for other insects, such as lygus bugs and do catch larvae in the net, use it as a precursor to examining individual plants for accurate numbers of larvae/m2 that can be used in your risk assessment. For more information on late season scouting techniques refer to the following press release: http://www.canola-council.org/about-us/media-news/media-releases/media-jun2005.shtml
For current diamondback moth and bertha armyworm survey updates, refer to the following link:
http://ncrxeis4.agr.gc.ca/ppmnMaps/
For more information on diamondback moth, refer to the following SAFRR link:
http://www.agr.gov.sk.ca/DOCS/crops/integrated_pest_management/insects/Diamond.asp?firstPick=
Crops&secondpick=Integrated%20Pest%20Management&thirdpick=Insects
For a picture of a parasitoid wasp of diamondbacks, refer to the following link:
http://www.canola-council.org/parasiticwaspsid.aspx
For more information on the bertha armyworm, including accurate identification and thresholds for insecticide control, refer to the following links:
http://www.canola-council.org/bertha.aspx
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/prm2521
For interpreting bertha armyworm trap numbers, refer to the following link:
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/prm2526?opendocument
As the crop completes pod development, be vigilant in the frequency and intensity of field scouting. Watch for abnormal areas that have wilted or prematurely ripening plants within canola stands that are otherwise healthy. These areas may be indicators of diseases such as fusarium wilt, sclerotinia, blackleg and clubroot that restrict water and nutrient uptake by plants. When scouting fields, accurately identify what is causing the damage and properly document the information for future reference and decision making. Scout for insects, diseases and nutrient deficiencies since these will become more evident as the crop matures. Pay close attention to misses, corners and overlaps or check strips to help determine if the fertility plan worked and to help make important fertility decisions in the upcoming season.
The recent hot weather has hastened crop development in many areas and caused purpling and premature plant colour change in many fields. This is a relatively normal response to stress and growers need to ensure that seed colour change is occurring when assessing the proper time to swath. The colour of mature plants and pods will vary among varieties as they mature. Some will appear ripe on the outside before the seeds are mature.
Seed colour is more important than the overall plant/pod colour when determining the stage of maturity. One should not use the outside plant colour as the gauge to proper timing, and instead open up pods on the main stem and look at the colour of the seeds to accurately assess swathing timing. Last year, time of swathing recommendations were changed to reflect research results obtained after several years of Canola Council Canola Production Centre trials. Recent research indicates that the optimum stage to swath for both yield and quality is up to 60% seed colour change. This enables many growers to start swathing at 30% to 40% seed colour change without sacrificing significant yield or quality. It widens the "swathing days" window for all growers, including those with large canola acreages. When conditions are hot and dry, avoid swathing. Swath during the cool evening hours, at night or early in the morning to allow plants to dry down at a slower rate. This reduces the chance of green seed.
When assessing seed colour, also check seed firmness. Under cool conditions, seeds near the top of the plant may continue to fill and become firm before the lower seeds begin to turn colour. Also, be conscious of disease-infected or hail-damaged fields and do not let the premature ripening of the diseased or damaged plants influence the time of swathing. Realize that the bulk of the yield is likely still coming from the healthy plants and a better strategy to capture more yield than swathing early is to swath during dew periods to prevent shattering of the damaged plants. To learn more about proper field assessment, refer to the revised Canola Council publication "Canola Time of Swathing Guide" or visit the Canola Council website: http://www.canola-council.org/pub_swathing.shtml
As well, with harvest soon approaching, there have been several inquiries regarding the effectiveness of pushing standing canola and straight cutting it instead of swathing. This approach can be useful when the crop is standing upright and there is the opportunity for the plants to hit against each other in the winds and cause seed shatter and pod drop. However, in many areas this year, the crop canopies are much heavier than in previous years and many crops are already leaning and well knitted together. In these instances, likely there would be little or no advantage with pushing prior to straight cutting.
With swath stage approaching, consider a valuable weed control tool for next year's crop--pre-harvest glyphosate. It's the most consistent and effective treatment for many perennial weeds, providing an effective and economical alternative to in-crop control options. In early fall, perennial weeds are moving nutrients down into roots and rhizomes to prepare for winter. This period is when they are most vulnerable to herbicide translocation to the roots and better control is possible.
If a Roundup Ready canola variety has been grown, a pre-harvest application will assist in some dry down of green weeds and offer perennial weed control, but it will not dry down the crop. Apply when the crop has 30% or less moisture content. At this stage, the pods are green to yellow and most seeds have turned from green to yellow or brown. Wait three full days (72 hours) after application before swathing to allow thorough translocation of the herbicide to ensure extended long-term weed control. Do not use pre-harvest glyphosate on canola crops grown for seed.
There are some questions regarding the use of Reglone (diquat) or glyphosate to speed up and even out crop development. However, remember that application of either product results in eventual killing of the plant. Application of either product too early will cause similar problems to swathing too early, with the additional possibility of increased herbicide residues in the crop. Be diligent in following label directions for product application timing.
Send questions regarding this report to John Mayko, Agronomic Research & Extension Manager with the Canola Council of Canada at maykoj@canola-council.org ph/fax: 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, Agronomist, Manitoba,
hammondd@canola-council.org, 204-729-9011
Rob Park, Manitoba Agriculture, Food & Rural Initiatives,
rpark@gov.mb.ca, 204-745-5665
David Vanthuyne, Agronomist, Eastern Saskatchewan,
vanthuyd@canola-council.org, 306-782-7799
David Blais, Agronomist, Western Saskatchewan,
blaisd@canola-council.org, 306-895-2122
Jim Bessel, Senior Agronomist, Northeastern Saskatchewan,
besselj@canola-council.org, 306-373-6771
Bill Greuel, Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food & Rural Revitalization, wgreuel@agr.gov.sk.ca, 306-787-2756
Doug Moisey, Agronomist, Central Alberta,
moiseyd@canola-council.org, 780-645-3624
Christine Mardell, Agronomist, Peace River Region,
mardellc@canola-council.org, 780-518-1513
Matthew Stanford, Agronomist, Southern Alberta,
stanfordm@canola-council.org, 403-758-6660
Murray Hartman, Alberta Agriculture, Food & Rural Development,
murray.hartman@gov.ab.ca, 403-782-8024
Kerry Clark, BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Fisheries,
Kerry.Clark@gems9.gov.bc.ca, 250-787-3213
The Canola Watch Report provides just-in-time information on canola production to growers and industry. Contributors to the Canola Agronomy Network are:
Manitoba Agriculture & Food; Manitoba Canola Growers Association; Agricore United; Cargill; Saskatchewan Wheat Pool; United Farmers of Alberta; Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food & Rural Revitalization; Saskatchewan Canola Growers Association; Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission; Alberta Agriculture, Food & Rural Development; Alberta Canola Producers Commission; BC Ministry of Agriculture; Food & Fisheries; and the Canola Council of Canada.
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