The intended benefit of this demonstration for producers is to show case a wide range of seeding dates in canola, in combination with an adequate and increased seeding rate, so producers can make best management decisions for seeding canola to avoid heavy flea beetle infestations and the need for insecticides, while achieving high yields and best quality.

This project is relevant to local canola producers, where sclerotinia can cause substantial economic loss.  

KCl-, 0-0-60, fertilizer can be harsh on equipment and cause unnecessary wear and tear. It is important to provide producers with strategies for managing Cl- deficiencies in canola that follow 4R practices and save the longevity of their equipment.

Nitrogen fertilizer management has long been amongst the most important considerations in Saskatchewan grain production, and canola is one of the largest users of this nutrient. Optimizing N fertilizer use efficiency is more important than ever with high fertilizer prices and increasing awareness of and societal pressure to minimize greenhouse gas emissions associated with N fertilization.

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).

To evaluate the effect of seeding date and rate on canola flea beetle pressure, yield and quality a demonstration was conducted near Melfort (NARF), Outlook (ISask), Swift Current (WCA), and Scott (WARC), SK in 2024.

Exploring potential benefits of enhanced efficiency fertilizer (EEF) nitrogen (N) products and blends with side-banding was identified as a priority by SaskCanola. In the spring of 2025, field trials to address this topic were initiated at Indian Head, Melfort, Prince Albert, Scott, Swift Current, and Yorkton, encompassing a wide range of soil/climatic conditions.

This study examines the interactions between the full and half rates of both glufosinate and clethodim in a tank mix with and without a water conditioner across varying water qualities.

Clubroot, caused by Plasmodiophora brassicae, is a major threat to canola production in Canada. The use of clubroot-resistant (CR) cultivars has been a key strategy in managing this disease.

It is estimated that flea beetles cause economic losses of over $300 million annually in North America and represent the major insect threat to canola.  Yield loss of 10 % is common when flea beetles are abundant.

Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a fungal pathogen of canola and many other crops including bean, soybean, sunflower, potato and lentil.

Although a relatively new disease of concern for Canadian canola producers (1), verticillium stripe (VS) is an important disease for the European canola growers and has been extensively studied over the past several decades (2).

Engaging farmers in research has the potential to both increase agriculture productivity and reduce the environmental footprint. Farmers’ engagement in research is enhanced by organizing groups of farmers to conduct on-farm experimentation.

Global change factors including climate warming, agricultural intensification, and species invasions are leading to range expansions, altered phenology, and increased impacts of agricultural pest insects that threaten worldwide economies and food security.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions has become a high priority for western Canadian producers. In 2020, the federal government established a target of reducing N2O emissions associated with fertilizer application by 30% below 2020 levels by 2030.

Past research clearly shown that management practices such as no-till have led to an increase in soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks in the Canadian Prairies.

SKSIS launched in 2018 with the goal of making quality soil information accessible to Saskatchewan producers, agrologists, researchers, land managers, and policy makers.

Researchers had a couple of objectives to complete during this project; the first was to identify readily applied diagnostic features for mapping small patch clubroot distributions using hyperspectral data, and to develop a diagnostic tool. Second, they wanted to refine and validate the diagnostic tool for identifying small patches of clubroot infestations.

Kochia has grown to be one of the worst agricultural weed problems on the southern Canadian Prairies where its impact on crop production has been exacerbated by warm dry summers over the past half decade. Kochia is a tumbleweed that thrives in conditions of drought, salinity, and heat stress, allowing it to compete with crops for essential resources, resulting in substantial crop yield losses.

Aster leafhoppers and diamondback moths migrate to the Canadian Prairies in spring and early summer on wind currents originating in the USA. Infestations of these insects are tied to migration on the winds since neither of these insects overwinters well in cold Canadian winters.