Do micronutrients applied to canola actually increase yield?
Term: 1 year
Status: Ongoing
Researcher(s): Brianne McInnes, NARF; Jessica Enns, WARC; Amber Wall, WCA; Lana Shaw, SERF; Chris Holzapfel, IHARF
SaskOilseeds Investment: $8,000
Total Project Cost: $41,000
Funding Partners: ADOPT
Objective
To demonstrate the yield and quality response of canola to in-furrow and foliar applications of different micronutrients in multiple soil zones in Saskatchewan.
To demonstrate to producers the importance of soil testing and tissue testing as tools for evaluating efficacy of micronutrient products in canola.
Project Description
Micronutrients are important in the lifecycle of many plants; however, because they are required in much smaller quantities than macronutrients, their impact on plant performance is often harder to quantify (Canola Council).
Boron (B), Copper (Cu) and Zinc (Zn) are commonly known micronutrients of canola on the western prairies. These three micronutrients may be deficient in sandy soils, high organic matter soils, and soils with high pH, which are characteristic of many growing regions in Saskatchewan.
In recent years, many new high yielding canola varieties have been introduced, far exceeding the yield potential and fertility requirements of varieties from 25 years ago. With higher yield potential of varieties, it can be speculated that higher levels of nutrients are needed to reach maximum yield potential. Additionally, many new fertilizer products have become available to Saskatchewan producers that make yield claims by providing micronutrients through in-furrow or foliar applications. Private companies are making yield claims based on internally funded trials, where published research has often found no response of these micronutrients in canola. On the other hand, publicly funded research on some of these micronutrients is lacking in general, and with new high yielding varieties. Additionally, dry and hot summers may cause deficiencies of some of these nutrients that would not have occurred during wet or normal conditions when some of the micronutrient trials took place on the prairies.
The intended benefit of this demonstration is to showcase to producers’ different micronutrients they may be applying to their crops based on assumptions of yield and/or quality improvements. By collecting micronutrient levels in the soil prior to seeding, tissue testing after foliar applications, and collecting yield and quality data we will be able to discuss with producers at field days and winter meetings whether micronutrient products are worth the money and resources based on results from several different locations in Saskatchewan.