Seeding Management to Increase and Stabilize Canola Production in the Semiarid Prairie

Researcher:

Dr. Herb W. Cutforth, Dr. Sangamesh V. Angadi and Dr. Brian McConkey Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Swift Current, SK

Project Code:

CARP 9927

Final Report:

February 2002

Summary:

Canola production in the semiarid prairie is susceptible to high temperature and water stress, Field experiments were conducted at Swift Current over 4 years from 1998 to 2001 to determine the effect of seeding management, stubble management and population densities on the productivity of canola and mustard in the Brown soil zone. The results of this study clearly indicate that simple and easy to implement technologies such as fall or early-spring seeding and seeding directly into tall standing stubble are successful technologies for growing canola and offer greater income stabilization and a better fit of canola as a crop for the Brown soil zone. The results also suggest that, as a general rule, a population of between 20-25 plants per square meter would be a reasonable threshold for re-seeding canola in the semiarid prairie.