UCC 2015 Small Plot Protocol

Objective: To test 3 foliar Boron products currently available in the market to see if there is an agronomic, quality or yield response.

2015 Sites:

  • AAFC Lacombe
  • AAFC Beaverlodge             
  • WARC Scott
  • Manitoba TBD

Experimental design:  RCBD with 4 replicates - 5 treatments x 4 reps = 20 plots

Pre-burn:

  • Glyphosate at 900g a.e./ha or CleanStart if volunteers are a problem, evaluate what weeds are present
  • If there is NO need for pre-burn please contact your assigned agronomist for further discussion/evaluation
  • A weed density count will be required during crop emergence inspection where a pre-burn wasn’t applied

Soil Samples:

  • Get a detailed analysis from 0-6”, and N, S and Cl from 6-12” (or 24” if you can) each year
  • The detailed analysis needs to include N,P,K,S, micro’s, pH, Organic Matter, C.E.C, and texture
  • If you’ve already submitted the sample, check with the lab as they usually keep them and can re-run tests
  • For consistency, all samples are to be submitted to EXOVA in Edmonton for analysis

Treatments (see below):

  1. Check (no Boron applied)
  2. Boron (Nexus) at 5% flowering – RATE - 1L/ac
  3. MicroBolt B (Alpine) 4-6 leaf - RATE – 0.75 L/ac
  4. SuperB (Omex) at 5% flowering - RATE - 1L/ac
  5. Boron (Nexus) with fungicide 30% bloom - RATE - 1L/ac

 

Variety: Any variety    

Seeding Rate: 100 seeds/m2

Fertilizer:            

  • Based on soil test recommendation for NPKS for a target yield at your location
  • If soil test does not recommend any S, apply 10 kg/ha. Do not apply elemental S.
  • Do not apply more than 20 kg/ha of actual P with the seed

Seeding Date: Early May

Herbicides: Apply at the 2 - 3 leaf stage with additional application if needed (before budding)

Fungicide: Spray for sclerotinia or other diseases unless drought conditions are prevailing

Insecticide: Spray if pest insects exceed acceptable thresholds (to be determined at each site)

Please keep accurate records of applications, dates, rates, procedures, problems and other observations. Send data and Materials & Methods to Nicole Philp (philpn@canolacouncil.org)

MANDATORY Treatments and PER PLOT Data Collection (ALL SITES):

  1. Record Site Data:
    • Previous crop
    • Moisture conditions at seeding
    • Depth of seeding (actual, not targeted)
    • Seeding date
    • Soil temperature at seeding
    • Amount and time of rainfall events
    • Yield target for the fertilizer recommendations (in consultation with CCC Agronomists)
    • Other field notes [e.g. hail, insect and disease damage, weed problems, flooding (identify specific plots)]
       
  2. Crop emergence counts:
    • 2 weeks after emergence (i.e. 2 weeks after first visible rows)
    • 2 rows x 1 meter x 2 spots (diagonally) in each plot, avoid outside rows, count 1 m in from front and back of plot)
       
  3. Apply Alpine Boron at 4-6 leaf. Record crop stage, application date and time and any other observations
     
  4. Vigour ratings (5-6 leaf stage (~ 2.0-2.5 weeks after emergence or 1.0-1.5 weeks prior to bolting)
     
    • Assess visually using 1 to 9 score
      • 9 – Excellent (assigned rarely) – looks like highly vigorous and productive hybrid
      • 8-7 – two degrees of Good
      • 6-5 – two degrees of Average – Check is scored as “average”
      • 4-3 – two degrees of Bad
      • 2-1 – two degrees of Very Bad – looks like a weak inbred line
         
    • One score per plot
    • Have more than one person take the same notes (due to subjectivity of visual notes)
    • Make assessments for the entire experiment at the same time (same day)
    • DO NOT adjust the score to the stand (i.e. assess “the average development stage of a plant on each plot”, NOT the “total biomass per plot”)
       
  5. Plot reference picture at 20% flower:
    • Take a reference picture of each plot (whole plot) – take around mid-day when sun is high (or it is cloudy)
    • Make sure the plot # is in the plot picture
       
  6. Apply Nexus Boron and Omex SuperB at 5% flowering. Record age, application date and time and any other observations.
     
  7. Apply a fungicide overspray on all plots unless drought conditions prevail
     
  8. Maturity Date: on Mon., Wed. and Fri. (record in Julian days) to determine time of swathing
    • Access several plants, the top of the main stem are still green, but firm; seeds in the middle pods are just changing color (tan, brown); and the seeds in the bottom pods have changed color.
    • a couple of outside branches need to be looked at when checking for maturity
    • More info visit: /agronomic_publications.aspx or see attached facts sheets.
       
  9. Record swath date.
     
  10. Record harvest date.
     
  11. Plot Grain Yield & % moisture:  (whole plot) & subsample (approx. 1 kg):
    • clean a large enough subsample for quality analysis and for a true canola yield ((dirty – clean)/dirty)
    • Seed MUST be clean with < 5% weeds, cracks and no chaff – we use a clipper which works very well
       
  12. % Oil, % Protein, % Green, and 1000 kwt
    • Provide a clean sample from each plot (cleavers need to be removed)
    • Need 100g from the cleaned subsample: from each plot put in a 4.5 x 7 tuck envelope and send samples pre-paid to Patty Reid in Lacombe
    • Tuck Envelopes available at: Spear Envelope Company (952-545-7124)

       Patty Reid/Larry Michielsen
      Lacombe Research Centre
      6000 C&E Trail
      Lacombe, AB   T4L 1W1
      (Phone: 403-782-8891)
       
    • Sample must be labeled correctly:
      • Label needs to include trial name, trial number, name (i.e. Lacombe75-2014), location, year, treatment and plot #
      • Include the randomization and/or field plans with the samples