| |
|
 |
|
Story Posted: April 07, 2011
Canola Watch: Test soils, Broadcast seeding tips
In This Issue: Soil nutrient levels a mystery, Still time for spring soil tests, When trying a new fertility product, Tips for better broadcast seeding, Seed only registered varieties, New drill? Try peas first, Meet your CCC crop production staff, Questions and contacts.
Soil nutrient levels a mystery
Growers in areas with excess moisture in 2010 or 2011 or both may not have a good handle on their soil nutrient reserves unless they get a soil test. Nitrogen levels may be very low in the top 6" due to denitrification and leaching, which both increase when soils are wet. Nitrogen reserves may be higher at lower depths, and this could be accessible as the crop matures, but growers cannot assume this reserve is present without a 24" soil test.
Growers in the Peace River area of Alberta, where drought has been the issue, may be equally unsure of soil nutrient reserves - especially if they've been fertilizing for target yields that have not been reached for a few years. How much of that unused nutrient is still available?
And for growers all across the Prairies who have had higher yields lately, those higher nutrient removal rates need to be balanced against the combination of higher spring moisture and increased crop residues that may mean higher mineralization rates this year. Growers wondering if they're applying enough fertilizer to maximize profit could try a test strip with a 50% higher rate and measure the yield at harvest.
Still time for spring soil tests
While fall and winter soil tests give growers more time to plan fertilizer rates and place orders, spring fertilizer tests are the most accurate in predicting the soil nutrient situation at seeding time. Labs may be able to provide results within a few days or a week, so spring tests can be done without holding up the seeding process.
Sample the most representative areas of the field. Sampling hilltops because they've dried out first will not provide useful results if they only represent a small proportion of the total acreage.
When trying a new fertility product
A number of new fertilizer products are on the market, including seed coatings that contain small starter amounts of macro- and micronutrients. On canola seeded at the equivalent of 5 lb./ac., the rates per acre of any seed-coated nutrient will be very low. Growers considering these products are encouraged to leave test strips (link to tips on how to do test strips) and use a combine yield monitor or weigh wagon at harvest to see if this extra investment pays off in terms of yield. Measuring yield is important as canola can often compensate for small differences in growth patterns early in the season. Growers should try test strips several times to see if trends develop.
Go for highest ROI. There is no one best fertilizer source or fertilizer blend. Different products work better under different circumstances. Growers are advised to keep an open mind when it comes to fertilizer choices, but in the end it comes down to dollars: Which products provide the best return on investment (ROI)? In many cases, high-yielding canola is removing more nutrient from the soil than is being replaced with fertilizer. A key first consideration for any fertilizer plan is whether nitrogen rates are high enough to match yield targets, whether adequate sulphur is available to allow efficient use of that nitrogen, and whether seed-placed and total phosphate rates meet the start up and removal needs of the crop, respectively. These investments are likely to provide the highest rate of return.
Tips for better broadcast seeding
More growers may try broadcast seeding this year if excessive spring moisture keeps the drill off the field for too long. Over the long run, canola drilled at 1/2" to 1" deep into moist soil and packed lightly for rapid and uniform emergence will produce the most consistent crop establishment. But when conditions are wet, broadcast seeding may be the only way to get the job done. What's more, broadcasting is faster than seeding with the drill - especially if the field is full of potholes to work around. And broadcasting could provide better seed placement if the alternative is "mudding in" seed with a drill that has mud caked on the openers, mud plugging the seed runs, and mud wrapped around the packers.
Important tips when broadcast seeding:
Be patient. Seeding anytime before mid May should give canola a good chance to meet its yield potential. By then, broadcast seeding may still be the best solution for some growers faced with continued wet fields, but broadcasting onto warm and moist soils in May should increase the success rate compared to broadcasting in late April.
Increase the seeding rate. Seed germination and seedling survival for broadcast canola could be a lot lower compared to seed drilled into a moist, packed seedbed. A higher seeding rate can compensate. It also provides more margin for error if the seed and fertilizer ratio doesn't stay consistent as the floater tank empties. A floater with two tanks, one for seed and one for fertilizer, will reduce or eliminate this risk. Consider seed size in grams per 1,000 kernels and estimate seedling survival when setting the seeding rate. Click here for a factsheet with tables that provide seeding rates based on target plant stand, seed weight and estimated seedling survival.
Double the phosphorus rate. Canola plants need early access to phosphorus. When broadcast, phosphate prills and seed are not always close enough for timely access to the fertilizer. Higher phosphate rates will improve the average proximity and compensate for the increased reactions with soil constituents that limit availability.
Seed soon after blending. Fertilizer, especially any kind of nitrogen fertilizer, can start to reduce canola seed germination rates within the first day after blending.
Cultivate or harrow after seeding. Shallow cultivation or harrowing (if conditions are dry enough to avoid mud smearing or bunching of crop residue) will help improve seed to soil contact. Check seed placement as you would behind a drill, to ensure you are getting adequate incorporation while keeping the maximum depth shallow enough to allow uniform emergence.
High residue increases risk. Broadcasting onto fields with high residue may not provide the seed to soil contact for high establishment rates, but cultivating these fields ahead of broadcasting could create an equally inhospitable seedbed, with large clods and a crusted soil surface.
Broadcast N and S. Growers could broadcast their nitrogen and sulphur, and use the drill just for seed and starter phosphorus. That way, they wouldn't have to fill the seeder tank right full, which could make it possible to get the drill through a field without getting stuck.
Know the rules for crop insurance. Broadcast canola does not automatically quality for crop insurance. The established stand must be inspected and meet crop stand standards before it can be insured. If the crop does not grow and the ground is too wet to seed, the grower could be eligible to receive an unseeded acreage benefit. Rules for unseeded acreage benefits vary by province. In Alberta, for example, growers qualify only if 10% or more of acres in the area remain unseeded.
Seed only registered varieties
Growers are reminded to make sure they seed registered varieties. Some older varieties that were once registered have been "deregistered" - they have been removed due to their negative effects on export markets. More than 80% of Canada's canola crop is exported around the world, so it is critical that our canola meets the requirements of our export customers. If de-registered varieties are detected, canola shipments could be turned away causing millions of dollars in losses and placing future business with that country at risk. Click here for a list of the varieties and why they were removed.
Other seed reminders:
Farm saved seed is illegal for most varieties. Any canola seed with a herbicide tolerance (HT) system is protected under contract. Growers cannot legally use farm saved seed from these varieties and hybrids.
Keep a seed sample. Put a minimum 500 ml (2 cups) from each seed lot into a seed lab bag. Record seeding date and rate, keep the blue seed tag, and store samples in a cool, dry place in a rodent proof container. Taking a second sample as seed enters the ground will show what damage, if any, may have occurred as seed traveled through the drill. A sock taped to the end of a hose works as a simple sampling tool.
New drill? Try peas first
Growers may encounter a few glitches the first time they take a drill to the field. A large investment in canola seed can escape out the drill pretty quickly if the seed metering system is set wrong. Peas run through the drill a little more slowly. And because fine tuning a drill means getting out and checking a few rows for seed placement and seed rate, peas are a lot easier to find in the seed row. Finally, peas are a little less depth sensitive than canola, and so can overcome mistakes in depth settings. And peas, like canola, respond well to early seeding.
Click here for more drill prep tips.
Meet your CCC crop production staff
|
|
|
| |
 |
Greg Sekulic
Greg lives in Grande Prairie, Alta., and is the agronomy specialist for the Peace River region, including B.C. His area of specialty is sustainable canola production. Contact him at sekulicg@canolacouncil.org or 780-832-2382. |
|
|
 |
Doug Moisey
Doug lives in St. Paul, Alta., and is the agronomy specialist for north central Alberta. His area of specialty is canola establishment. Contact him at moiseyd@canolacouncil.org or 780-645-9205. |
|
|
 |
Dan Orchard
Dan lives in Wetaskiwin, Alta. and is the agronomy specialist for south central Alberta. His area of specialty is canola fertility. Contact him at orchardd@canolacouncil.org or 780-777-9923. |
|
|
 |
Troy Prosofsky
Troy lives in Lethbridge, Alta., and is the agronomy specialist for southern Alberta. His area of specialty is insect management. Contact him at prosofskyt@canolacouncil.org or 403-332-1412. |
|
|
 |
Clint Jurke
Clint lives outside Lloydminster, Sask., and is the agronomy specialist for western Saskatchewan. His area of specialty is disease management. Contact him at jurkec@canolacouncil.org or 306-821-2935. |
|
|
 |
Jim Bessel
Jim lives in Saskatoon and is the agronomy specialist for central Saskatchewan. His area of specialty is harvest management. Contact him at besselj@canolacouncil.org or 306-373-6771. |
|
|
 |
Shawn Senko
Shawn lives in Saskatoon and is the agronomy specialist for eastern Saskatchewan. His area of specialty is weed management. Contact him at senkos@canolacouncil.org or 306-270-9307. |
|
|
 |
Kristen Phillips
Kristen lives near Brandon, Man., and is the agronomy specialist for Manitoba. Her area of specialty is storage. Contact her at phillipsk@canolacouncil.org or 204-761-2143. |
|
|
 |
Derwyn Hammond
Derwyn lives in Brandon, Man., and his new title is resource manager, crop production. Contact him at hammondd@canolacouncil.org or 204-729-9011. |
|
|
 |
Yilan Zhang
Yilan works at the Canola Council of Canada head office in Winnipeg, and is the research manager, crop production. Contact her at zhangy@canolacouncil.org or 204-982-2124. |
|
|
 |
Gail Hoskins
Gail works at the Canola Council of Canada head office in Winnipeg, and is the Canola Agronomic Research Program (CARP) coordinator. Contact her at hoskinsg@canolacouncil.org or 204-982-2102. |
|
|
 |
Jay Whetter
Jay is communications manager and works from a home office in Kenora, Ont. Contact him at whetterj@canolacouncil.org or 807-468-4006. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Questions and contacts
If you have general questions about Canola Watch, direct them to Jay Whetter, whetterj@canolacouncil.org or 807-468-4006.
If you have questions on regional issues, contact one of the following Canola Council of Canada regional agronomists or provincial oilseed specialists:
- Derwyn Hammond, resource manager, crop production, hammondd@canolacouncil.org, 204-729-9011
- Kristen Phillips, agronomy specialist, Manitoba, phillipsk@canolacouncil.org, 204-761-2143
- Jim Bessel, senior agronomy specialist, Central Saskatchewan, besselj@canolacouncil.org, 306-373-6771
- Shawn Senko, agronomy specialist, Eastern Saskatchewan, senkos@canolacouncil.org, 306-270-9307
- Clint Jurke, agronomy specialist, Western Saskatchewan, jurkec@canolacouncil.org, 306-821-2935
- Dan Orchard, agronomy specialist, Central Alberta, orchardd@canolacouncil.org, 780-777-9923
- Troy Prosofsky, agronomy specialist, Southern Alberta, prosofskyt@canolacouncil.org, 403-332-1412
- Doug Moisey, senior agronomy specialist, North Central Alberta, moiseyd@canolacouncil.org, 780-645-9205
- Greg Sekulic, agronomy specialist, Peace Region, sekulicg@canolacouncil.org, 780-832-2382
- Murray Hartman, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, murray.hartman@gov.ab.ca, 403-782-8024
- Kerry Clark, B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, Kerry.Clark@gov.bc.ca, 250-784-2559
- Venkata Vakulabharanam, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Venkata.Vakulabharanam@gov.sk.ca, 306-787-4668
- Anastasia Kubinec, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, anastasia.kubinec@gov.mb.ca, 204-750-2717
This report is supported by each of the provincial canola grower associations. For more information on some of their activities, check out the following links:
- The Alberta Canola Producers Commission (ACPC) has a free e-newsletter called Alberta Canola Connections. Visit canola.ab.ca and click the sign-up icon on the right site of the homepage.
- In Manitoba, sign up for the Manitoba Canola Growers Association newsletter at Canola Growers E-update by visiting www.mcgacanola.org.
« Back to main
Latest News page |
