Brandt: Evaluating the Agronomic and Economic Value of High-Quality Canola Seed
Date: February 2005
Term: 2 years
Status: Completed
Researcher(s): Stewart Brandt, Eric Johnson, Bob Elliott, Cecil Vera, Randy Kutcher, Guy Lafond and Bill May, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Saskatchewan
SaskCanola Investment: $36,530
Total Project Cost: $39,507
Funding Partners: n/a
Project Summary
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. The study results showed that canola seeded prior to May 20 and swathing at less than 20% seed moisture content produced the best performing seedlots. The seed vigour index, derived from germination tests developed at the Saskatoon Research Center, provided a good predictor of the performance of canola seedlots under different soil types, tillage practices, seeding dates, and growing conditions.
In 2003 and 2004, the effect of seeding date and swathing time on canola seed vigour was investigated at 5 Saskatchewan locations: Scott, Saskatoon, Loon Lake, Melfort, and Indian Head. The objectives of this two-year study 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. The seed produced from these treatments were then evaluated by a standard germination test, which measures the percentage of normal seedlings produced in 4-7 days at a standard temperature (usually 20C), as well as other germination and vigour tests (accelerated aging, controlled deterioration, and electrical conductivity) developed at the Saskatoon Research Center.
In the 2004 study, both seedling date and swathing time had an effect on canola seedlot performance. Seedlots that were seeded prior to May 20 resulted in higher seedling establishment, canola biomass, and seed yield compared to seedlots that were seeded on June 3. Seedlots that were swathed with less than 20% seed moisture content also resulted in higher seedling establishment and seed yield. In the 2003 study, swathing time had the largest impact on seedlot performance with swathing at moisture contents greater than 35 to 45% having a negative effect, particularly in growing seasons when environmental conditions were stressful.
Germination/vigour test results were highly correlated with field performance, indicating that tests developed at the Saskatoon Research Center are a good indicator of relative performance of canola seedlots. From the study, a relatively simple seed vigour index was developed using the following formula: (germination percentage at 7 days/100 X thousand seed weight (g). This seed vigour index provided very high correlations with canola emergence, seedling fresh weight, total biomass, and canola yield. This is a very simple method for predicting relative canola seedlot performance and was also a high predictor of canola seed yield.
The study results showed that canola seeded prior to May 20 and swathing at less than 20% seed moisture content (about 40 to 50% seed color change) produced the best performing seedlots. Seed growers should try to seed their canola in early to mid-May to produce high vigour seed. Delaying swathing somewhat later than commercially grown canola also results in higher vigour seed.
Scientific Publications
Elliott, R.H., Mann, L.W., Johnson, E.N., Brandt, S., Vera, C., Kutcher, H.R., Lafond, G. and W.E. May. 2007. Vigor tests for evaluating establishment of canola under different growing conditions and tillage practices. Seed Technology 29: 21-36.
Full Report PDF: Evaluating the Agronomic and Economic Value of High Quality Canola Seed