Most of Canada’s canola crop is produced using certified seed. With rising input costs, some producers are tempted to save and replant seed (farm-saved seed) grown from a hybrid variety.

In Canada, Aster Yellows Disease (AY), caused by ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’ affects several economically important crops including canola. Until recently, the disease has been considered to be of little importance, however, in 2007 crop production losses were higher than estimated with the visual AY assessment.

The clubroot pathogen, Plasmodiophora brassicae is now established as a pest of canola in central Alberta and may be spreading to other regions of the province.

Ecoclimatic modeling indicates that most of Canada is suitable for establishment of swede midge, including most of Saskatchewan. In 2007, swede midge were found in three fields in Saskatchewan for the first time.

The first objective of this study was to investigate the effect of production practices on the quality and vigour of open-pollinated Argentine canola. Seeding date and swathing time of the mother crop had a significant effect on seed quality.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of seed quality on the performance of hybrid Argentine canola in early- and late-seeded plots with conventional tillage and minimum tillage.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of seeding rate on flea beetle damage and agronomic performance of open-pollinated (op) and hybrid Argentine canola.

Diverse crop rotations are known to reduce the quantity of soilborne pathogens, while the continuous planting of any crop increases diseases and pests specific to that crop, causing a reduction in the yield.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of seeding date and seeding rate on the agronomic performance of open-pollinated (op) and hybrid Argentine canola in conventional tillage (CT) and minimum tillage (MT).

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of neonicotinoid seed treatments on flea beetle damage and the performance of Argentine canola seeded in early and late May.

The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of neonicotinoid seed treatments on flea beetle damage and the performance of Polish canola. Seed treatments reduced flea beetle damage and improved the performance of open-pollinated and synthetic Polish canola in all tests.

Field studies were undertaken in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan during the 2006 field season to investigate different management strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of natural enemies of cabbage seedpod weevil and diamondback moth in canola.

Sensor-based N management appears to have potential for enhancing agronomic N-use efficiency in canola production and, provided that the risks and benefits of sensor-based N management are managed appropriately, economic profitability for canola producers.

In this research project, the two main objectives were to investigate the responses of major insect pests and the Blackleg pathogen of canola to the two bacterial strains, Pseudomonas chlororaphis (PA23) and Bacillus amyloliquifaciens (BS6), plus jasmonic acid.

This study developed seed placed fertilizer rate recommendations for use when direct seeding canola with air seeders that have wide distribution patterns of seed and fertilizer.

In a one-year project conducted by the Wheatland Conservation Area at Swift Current in 2005, researchers evaluated straight cutting Brassica Juncea, Argentine canola, and Oriental mustard using three different headers, including a rigid straight cut header, a stripper header, and a BISO header extension.

A three-year project conducted at Brandon and Saskatoon from 2002 to 2004 examined the effects of decreased proportions of seed treated with insecticide on control of flea beetle damage to canola seedlings.

Overall seed damage (physical and germination) due to metering and distribution was less than 10% with no measurable effect from ground or air speed.

False cleavers, Galium spurium, is a major and increasing weed of canola and other crops in Alberta. Based on previous research in France, the European gall mite, Cecidophyes rouhollahi, was selected for field studies in Alberta to evaluate its potential as biological control of false cleavers.

For this two-year study, objectives were to evaluate the effect of seed production practices on canola seed performance, and to assess the ability of germination and vigour tests to predict the field performance of canola seedlots.