Issah: Seeding Rates for Precision Seeded Canola
Date: March 2015
Term: 3 years
Status: Completed
Researcher(s): Gazali Issah and Mathew Vercaigne, Western Applied Research Corporation, Scott SK, Eric Johnson, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Scott SK, Stewart Brandt, Northeast Agricultural Research Foundation, Melfort SK, Chris Holzapfel, Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation, Indian Head SK, Lana Shaw, South East Research Farm, Redvers SK and Anne Kirk, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB
SaskCanola Investment: n/a
Total Project Cost: n/a
Funding Partners: n/a
Project Summary
For canola growers, the establishment of an adequate and even plant stand is essential to reaching yield potential. A three-year study was conducted in Saskatchewan from 2012 to 2014 to determine if the SeedMaster UltraPro canola roller can produce more uniform canola seed placement than conventional fluted rollers. The results showed that seeding rate was the only factor to significantly affect plant density, maturity and seed yield, there were generally no differences between roller types. As well, seed yield was maximized or reached a plateau at 40 seeds/m2, irrespective of the roller type used. However, growers should continue to use the recommended higher seeding rates (> 80 seeds/m2) to insure against potential loss of seedlings to early season stresses and to improve yield stability, seed quality and maturity.
For canola growers, the establishment of an adequate and even plant stand is essential to reaching yield potential. Factors such as poor seed bed conditions or soil to seed contact, late spring frosts or insect damage often results in poor establishment and uneven plant stands. Previous research has shown that non-uniform plant distribution within the row can result in greater competition between canola plants, reducing yield potential. An evenly distributed canola population may allow producers to target lower plant populations and potentially use lower seeding rates without reductions in yield.
SeedMaster recently developed the UltraPro canola roller that they propose can produce a more uniform canola seed placement, which could potentially allow producers to reduce seeding rates while maintaining maximum yield potential. If this “precision” seeding equipment can produce a uniform plant stand using low seeding rates, it has the potential to reduce seed input costs.
A three-year study was conducted at four locations in Saskatchewan from 2012 to 2014 to determine if the SeedMaster UltraPro canola roller can produce more uniform canola seed placement than conventional fluted rollers. Researchers also wanted to determine if a more uniform plant density has the potential for allowing lower canola seeding rates. Field trials were conducted near Scott, Melfort, Redvers and Indian Head, Saskatchewan.
The study included six seeding rates at 10, 20, 40, 80, 160 and 320 seeds/m2 metered with either the traditional fluted Valmar roller or SeedMaster’s UltraPro roller. All trials were direct seeded into cereal stubble, with the hybrid canola variety L150 seeded at all locations in 2012 and 2013 and the variety L130 seeded at all locations in 2014. Seeding equipment varied between sites and row spacing ranged from 20 to 30 cm. The plots were straight combined at Indian Head and Scott and swathed at Melfort. Data collection included spring and fall seedling density and uniformity, days to maturity and seed yield.
Source: WARC.
The results of the three-year study showed that seeding rate was the only factor to significantly affect plant density, maturity and seed yield. There were generally no differences in plant density in spring or fall, seed yield or maturity between the roller types at any level of seeding rate. Although on average there appeared to be more uniform distribution of seedlings with the UltraPro roller than the Valmar at 10 to 80 seeds/m2 seeding rates, this did not translate into improvements in seed yield. Differences in uniformity generally disappeared at fall plant population assessment, likely due to the self-thinning nature of canola.
The study also showed that plant populations were significantly higher at 160 and 320 seeds/m2 compared to all other seeding rates using either the UltraPro roller or the Valmar roller. However, there were no differences in plant density between rollers at any level of seeding rate. When results were combined across site-years, approximately 72% of the seeds resulted in spring seedlings, which is higher than many studies where approximately 40% emergence is common.
Source: WARC.
Overall, the study results indicated that seed yield was maximized or reached a plateau at 40 seeds/m2, irrespective of the roller type used. However, growers are generally advised to use the recommended higher seeding rates (> 80 seeds/m2) to insure against potential loss of seedlings to early season stresses and to improve yield stability, seed quality and maturity. Seeding rates significantly affected plant density, maturity and seed yield, therefore, using recommended seeding rates helps establish a uniform and even canola stand, which is essential to achieving yield potential.
Full Report PDF: Seeding Rates for Precision Seeded Canola