How much do you know about canola seed traits?

How much do you know about canola seed traits?

Take the Canola Council of Canada quiz to find out

Through my @CanolaWatch Twitter handle, I put up a poll in January with the question, “Canola growers, how many different hybrids will you grow this year?” The options were one, two, three or four-plus. “Two” was the most common answer, with 35.7 per cent. “One” was second, with 27.9 per cent. When I shared the […] Read more

How much do you know about 4R nutrient management?

How much do you know about 4R nutrient management?

Take the Canola Council of Canada quiz to find out

All farms will benefit from applying the right fertilizer source at the right rate, right time and right place. These are the 4Rs of 4R nutrient management, as outlined by Fertilizer Canada. Following the principles of 4R can improve the return on investment for fertilizer, improve overall farm sustainability, and reduce nutrient runoff into waterways […] Read more


Count your canola for best results

Count your canola for best results

Online tool helps producers assess plant stands and minimize seed loss

Say it’s been about a month and a half since your canola has been in the ground. Do you know if you’re on track toward an even plant stand and optimum yield, or do you still have some work to do? A new online tool can help producers find out by entering a few numbers […] Read more

What were the canola yield robbers in 2020?

What were the canola yield robbers in 2020?

Some farmers benefited from the environmental conditions while others were ready to put 2020 behind them

In 2020, canola fell more than 11 bushels short of the 52 bushels per acre yield target the Canola Council of Canada (CCC) hopes Canadian farmers can achieve by 2025. Though a handful of major factors held yield back last season, hot and dry conditions bit into the most acres, said CCC agronomy specialist Justine […] Read more


How to reach 52 bushels per acre of canola

How to reach 52 bushels per acre of canola

Tips to take you beyond common management practices to maximize canola yields

Canadian canola yields have increased substantially over the last few decades. In the early 2000s, the five-year average was 25.3 bushels per acre. By 2010, that had risen to 33 bu/ac. Today, it’s about 41 bu/ac. While the upward trend is very positive, yield has been fairly flat for the last five years due — […] Read more

Tips to optimize your 2021 canola crops

Tips to optimize your 2021 canola crops

Set yourself and your crop up for success

No two growing seasons are alike, but Prairie canola growers can still draw from the mix of familiar and unique challenges they faced last year to better prepare for the season ahead. “For canola, it’s about setting the crop up from the beginning, so it’s things like good trash management and weed control, and ensuring […] Read more


Vigilance needed with blackleg on the rise

Vigilance needed with blackleg on the rise

Adopt best management practices and rotate resistance gene groups

Blackleg in canola hasn’t got out of hand across Western Canada yet, but it is on the rise, says a Canola Council of Canada (CCC) specialist who advises farmers to scout fields and consider rotating into different disease-resistant varieties to reduce the risk of disease buildup. There is still time this spring before seeding to […] Read more

Left to right: verticillium stripe, blackleg, clean/ healthy plant. Plants rated at 60 per cent seed colour change.

Blackleg best management practices to keep disease levels low

Is blackleg increasing in your fields? Use BMPs to keep the disease at bay

For the longest time, yield loss due to blackleg has been significantly reduced through the use of disease-resistant canola varieties. However, those genetics were first introduced nearly 20 years ago and are now starting to be overcome. For a disease that has mostly been ignored by farmers, this means there is a need to reintroduce […] Read more


Depending on drill calibration and speed of travel at seeding, it could easily result in a wide variance of seed placement.

Industry ponders ideal canola seeding depth

One of several factors affecting success of stand establishment

Coming up with an ideal recommended canola seeding depth is a bit like the Goldilocks story where the bowls of porridge ranged from either too hot or too cold. When it comes to seeding canola, the ideal recommendation can’t be too shallow or too deep, but what is the just-right depth recommendation — most likely […] Read more

Swedish machinery manufacturer Väderstad believes singulation provided by its PowerShoot technology could be the solution that significantly improves canola establishment in Western Canada.

Väderstad makes canola seed singulation possible

PowerShoot technology offers precision, improved canola stand establishment

Canola seed’s small size makes it sensitive to deep seeding. Both uniform placement and depth tend to improve emergence and seedling survival rates, which is crucial considering the high cost of seed. It’s not just about seed cost, though. It’s about creating a better environment to produce a stronger crop. Swedish machinery manufacturer Väderstad believes […] Read more