Blackshaw: Management Practices For Optimum Canola Emergence
Date: March 2013
Term: n/a
Status: Completed
Researcher(s): Dr. Robert Blackshaw, AAFC Lethbridge AB, Neil Harker, AAFC Lacombe AB, Eric Johnson, AAFC Scott SK, Bryon Irvine, AAFC Brandon MB, and Blaine Metzger, AgTech Centre AB, Ken Coles, Farming Smarter AB, Alvin Eyolfson, Battle River Research Group AB, Sherrilyn Phelps and Shannon Urbaniak, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture.
SaskCanola Investment: n/a
Total Project Cost: n/a
Funding Partners: n/a
Project Summary
Canola emergence is often only in the range of 40-60% even though high quality seed is planted. The objective of this study conducted in small plots and field scale strip trials across western Canada in 2011 and 2012 was to determine the effect of various seed drill opener types and ground speeds on resulting canola emergence in the Canadian prairies. The results show that across all opener types, an increase in seeding speed from 4 to 6 mph caused reduced canola emergence in 20% and 33% of the comparisons in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Field-scale farm trials also indicated a general trend of reduced canola plant stands with higher seeding speeds.
Canola emergence is often only in the range of 40-60% even though high quality seed is planted. Not only is hybrid canola seed a large input cost for growers, low canola density also results in poor competitive ability with weeds, uneven and late maturity, higher green seed content and reduced yield.
Researchers at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) in Lethbridge, Alberta led a two-year study to determine the critical factors and agronomic practices influencing canola emergence and stand establishment. This was a followup study to a previous multi-site, multi-year field study conducted by AAFC researchers that looked at the effects of cultivars, seeding depth and seeding speed on canola emergence using a ConservaPak drill equipped with 1 cm-wide knife openers, which confirmed that deep seeding and higher seeding speeds had a negative impact on canola emergence.
The objective of this study conducted in small plots and field scale strip trials across western Canada in 2011 and 2012 was to determine the effect of various seed drill opener types and ground speeds on resulting canola emergence in the Canadian prairies. Researchers also wanted to determine if the results obtained in small-plot experiments were similar to results attained when using field-scale equipment on farm fields.
The AgTech Centre (Lethbridge, AB) conducted the small plot study, comparing six different openers in small plot replicated trials across different soil types in western Canada at Lethbridge, St. Albert, Zealandia, Indian Head and Brandon in 2011 and 2012. An AgTech seed drill that was capable of attaching various tool bars equipped with different opener types was used, therefore avoiding possible confounding effects such as drill weight, row spacing, seed metering system, and packing system. Six opener types were evaluated: 1) precision single shank single shoot 0.5 inch narrow knife (low disturbance), 2) precision disk double shoot (low disturbance), 3) precision single shank single shoot 3 inch spread tip (medium disturbance), 4) precision double shank (medium disturbance), 5) precision single shank double shoot 2 inch side band (medium to high disturbance), and 6) precision single shank double shoot 4.5 inch paired row (high disturbance).
The experiments were located on cereal stubble. LL hybrid canola was planted 2 cm deep at a seeding rate of 110 and 97 seeds per square meter in 2011 and 2012, respectively, using a 12 inch row spacing and two seeding speeds, 4 and 6 mph, for all openers. Fertilizer was applied at 80 kg/ha N, 20 kg/ha P, and 10 kg/ha S at all sites.
The results of the small plot study confirmed the results from previous studies indicating that canola emergence is highly variable and often in the range of 50 to 70%. The small plot study showed that across all opener types, an increase in seeding speed from 4 to 6 mph resulted in reduced canola emergence in 20% and 33% of the comparisons in 2011 and 2012, respectively. All of the openers usually performed well and there was little difference in performance among all six openers.
Table 1. Canola emergence response (plants m-2) to various seed drill opener types at five sites in 2012.
A complementary field-scale study utilizing farmer’s seeding equipment was also implemented at farms in Alberta (4 in 2011 and 2012), Saskatchewan (16 in 2011 and 11 in 2012) and Manitoba (1 in 2011 and 2 in 2012) selected to represent soil types and drill opener types similar to small plot study. Farmer cooperators seeded one strip at 4 mph and then adjacent strips at higher speeds using their own seeding equipment. Researchers then determined canola emergence 3 weeks after seeding.
Results from the field-scale farm trials also indicated a general trend of reduced canola plant stands with higher seeding speeds, except in Manitoba where seeding speed did not affect canola emergence at any of the three sites. In Alberta, in several cases at higher speeds, canola stand was reduced by greater than 20% and reductions in canola yield and quality would be expected. Soil moisture was generally good to excellent in both study years and may have been the great equalizer among treatments in terms of canola emergence in these studies.
Full Report PDF: Long report not available