Canola Planting Brad True

Seed Bed Preparation Canola is very susceptible to soil crusting Seedbed must be firm Seed and soil moisture is critical for rapid seed emergence so seeding in dry soil is not recommended Seedbed should be prepared in a way to prevent wind erosion since seedlings are easily damaged by drifting soil Harrowing is not recommended

This is a pulvi mulcher

Seed bed cont’d Can be planted with a variety of equipment Optimum planting depth is between ½ inch to 1 inch deep Canola is typically seeded in 6 to 7 inch rows with a grain drill.

Fertilizer Application Nitrogen and Sulfur are key elements for high yields Nitrogen or potash shouldn’t be applied in direct contact with seeds but should be applied in a band at least 2 inches away from seeds Soil test is recommended for proper needs Low Sulfur can be the difference between having a crop and not having a crop

Fertilizer Cont’d Canola takes up Sulfate-S and sulfur fertilizer may be ammonium sulfate or a blend of ammonium sulfate and degradable elemental S Blend is recommended because in sandy soils, sulfur may leech during early season rains while elemental S may degrade during a moist season to supply needed S later in the year.

Seed Rates 5-8 pounds per acre for Argentine Type 5-7 pounds per acre for Polish type There is a major difference in seeds per pound in varieties Argentine contain 75,000-85,000 seeds per pound Polish is 135,000-160,000 seeds per pound Optimum plant population of 16 plants per sq. ft or 600,000 plants per acre w/o herbicide resistance As low as 2 plants per sq. ft with herbicide resistance (uniformly spaced)

Dormant Seeding Defined as planting canola in cold, nearly frozen soil Seed stays dormant until Spring Plant when the top 2 inches of soil are or below 32 degrees If soils warms to around 38 degrees the seeds germinate and will be killed once it freezes again Very difficult to do

Planting Timing April to early May Planting beyond May 15 will decrease yield potential Planting in June will significantly reduce yield Planting in May will reduce risk of heat and drought stress during flowering Canola is frost tolerant and can tolerate temperatures as low as 24 degrees

Different Varieties Argentine Type Polish type Higher yield potential Taller Higher oil content 95 Days to maturity Polish type 80 days to maturity 15-20% less yield than Argentine More resistant to shattering Yellow-brown seeds with less chlorophyll

Herbicide Resistant Canola Clearfield Resistant-use Beyond herbicide at a 4 fl oz/A Post to Imi-tolerant canola from emergence until prior to bloom to control most annual grasses and broadleaf weeds Liberty Resistant-34 fl oz/A Post from cotyledon stage to bolting stage controls most annual broadleaf weeds, controls or suppresses grasses, and may suppress perennial weeds. Roundup Resistant- applied at 1 pt /A with no more than 2 applications from emergence to bolting. Controls most annual and perennial weeds.

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