The economics of using crop inputs is very important, since using inputs to increase and or protect yield potential is only feasible if it translates into greater net income.

Volunteer canola has become a common weed in western Canada and researchers wanted to find out whether genotype, environment or other factors had the most influence.

Low available water, high heat and drought stresses are factors limiting canola productivity in the Brown soil zone of the Canadian prairies where conventional canola has not traditionally been grown.

Thrips feed on flowers and buds of a range of crops. In canola, pods damaged by thrips are often curled and tend to drop prematurely. Although the research showed insecticide treatments could control thrips for a short time, there were no significant differences in yield between treated and untreated plots.

Canola production in the semiarid prairie is susceptible to high temperature and water stress. Field experiments were conducted at Swift Current over 4 years from 1998 to 2001 to determine the effect of seeding management, stubble management and population densities on the productivity of canola and mustard in the Brown soil zone.

Lygus bugs and cabbage seedpod weevils are serious insect pests of canola in southern Alberta. In 2000 and 2001 a plot insecticide trial was conducted to develop a chemical management strategy for the two pests.

In a previous study, researchers confirmed that canola declined between 1991 and 1999, however yields of other major crops continuously increased. Although some regional differences existed, no conclusive evidence for the yield decline was found.

Blackleg, rhizoctonia seedling blight and sclerotinia stem rot are economically important diseases of canola, which have caused millions of dollars of losses in western Canada.

Canola is a major cash crop of the Parkland region of the Prairies where many soils (especially Gray Wooded) are deficient or potentially deficient in plant-available sulphur (S) for canola.

In the mid 1990s, Lygus bugs were becoming an increasingly important pest in canola. Researchers from Agriculture and Agriculture Canada in Ottawa and Saskatoon launched a three-year project in 1998 to develop a routine assay and diagnostic key to identify populations of Lygus in western Canada and immature stages of Peristenus species, a potential biological control.

In the mid-1990s, given the introduction of several blackleg resistant canola cultivars and the widespread adoption of reduced tillage systems, growers were interested in finding out if canola could be planted more often within a rotation.

In the late 1990s, fungicide application was the most important control method for Sclerotinia stem rot of canola for most producers.

The cabbage seedpod weevil was first discovered in 1995 in canola fields in Alberta; and by 1999 serious outbreaks occurred throughout southern and central Alberta.

A three-year study was conducted to evaluate the resistance and tolerance of mustard, rapeseed and canola lines to the crucifer flea beetle, Phyllotreta cruciferae, and identify lines with superior agronomic attributes including seedling establishment, plant growth and seed yield.

An analysis of yield trends in Saskatchewan for various major crops have shown that although yields of barley and flax have been continuously increasing from the 1960’s through to 1999, canola yields have remained stagnant between 1991 and 1999.

Crucifer root maggots are an economic pest of canola production. However, the extent of root maggot injury to canola across the prairies was not known.

Researchers at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Research Station in Swift Current wanted to determine the adaptability of B. juncea genotypes to the agroclimatic conditions in the semiarid prairie.

The Scott Research Farm began to reevaluate fall seeding in 1993 after the introduction of herbicide tolerant canola cultivars. Numerous studies were conducted at Scott from 1996 to 1998 to evaluate the effect of fall and early spring seeding of herbicide tolerant canola.

In central and northern Alberta, yield reductions from root maggot infestations can reach 52% in crops of Brassica rapa (Polish canola) and 20% in Brassica napus (Argentine canola).

In western Canada, alternaria black spot is caused mainly by Alternaria brassicae and to a lesser extent by A. raphani. It is most damaging on spring sown Polish canola (Brassica rapa).