CANOLA QUIZ – Plan for success

Uncertain weather in March makes it a better month for planning than for field work. This canola quiz guides you toward a few practical tips, reminders and links.

1. Plan to set a target canola stand for 2021. The Canola Council of Canada recommends a target of _______ healthy surviving plants per square foot, which sets up canola to realize its yield potential. 

3-4

5-8

7-10

7-14

2. Winter is a good time to organize fertilizer plans, but winter is not a good time to apply fertilizer. Broadcast fertilizer can be lost, especially when applied on snow. If fields are bare, broadcast with incorporation can dry out the seedbed. Manitoba has a winter ban on fertilizer application because of the high risk for loss. Other provinces do not have a ban, but the Manitoba ban could provide a good guideline for Saskatchewan and Alberta. On what date does Manitoba (usually) lift the ban? 

March 21

March 31

April 11

April 21

3. Weeds compete for nutrients, sunlight and water, so canola yields are improved (especially in a dry year) when weed competition is removed early. While March is probably too early for a spray, bare fields provide an opportunity to check on the presence of perennial and winter annual weeds. This photo shows one weed to watch for. What is it? 

Cleavers

Hemp nettle

Kochia

Stinkweed

4. Which of these is considered the most important factor influencing the amount of herbicide carryover?

Moisture

Temperature

Soil texture and organic matter

Soil pH

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What about seed decisions? Quite right. The quiz has nothing on canola cultivars. For some guidance, read “Choose the appropriate hybrid for each field” and check out the Canola Performance Trials results booklet for 2020.