Canola Watch

January is a good time to review canola seed decisions, and assign cultivars and seed treatments to specific fields.

How can growers use agronomy to increase canola profitability?

Here is the quick list to think through as agronomists and farmers prep for 2025. Read the full Fundamentals article. 

1. Review the target plant stand
2. Achieve uniform seed emergence
3. Choose seed with disease resistance to match threats
4. Use cost-effective approaches to flea beetle management 
5. Meet crop needs for fertilizer 
6. Control weeds early 
7. Cut when all seeds are firm to roll
8. Minimize combine loss
9. Rotate crops to improve yield 
    

Do growers still have time to make cultivar decisions for 2025?

Growers have some flexibility to make decisions on seed treatment and field location for each cultivar. Seed companies also have some seed available for final rotation decisions. A few thoughts…

• Blackleg records may help farmers make decisions on which genetics to put on which fields. Canola going on to a field with a recent history of blackleg could benefit from a top-end blackleg seed treatment.
• Weed records could help identify which fields get which herbicide system. Some may benefit from a TruFlex-Liberty Link stack.
• Canola Digest seed articles from September 2024
• MASC variety yield browser
   

What are the CCC’s agronomy priorities for 2025?

The Canola Council of Canada has five general agronomy priorities proven to increase yield and profit. Here they are:

• Improve nutrient use and efficiency. For 2025, continue with soil sampling and look at ways to target specific needs within a field.
• Achieve a uniform five to eight plants per square foot. For 2025, the profit outlook may push growers to the lower end of that range.
• Choose the best seed traits for each field. For 2025, assess the blackleg risk in each field and choose the best cultivar and seed treatment to reduce that risk. The Blackleg Management Guide can help.
• Identify and manage the top yield robbers. For 2025, flea beetles, verticillium stripe and herbicide-resistant weeds will be hot topics – again.
• Harvest all seeds and deliver No.1 grade. For 2025 and any year, low loss throughout the whole harvest day will protect as much profit as possible.

What is the best way to check bins?

The best method to check stored canola, even if the bin has monitoring cables, is to remove about a third of the canola. This disrupts the moisture cycle and helps to stop any heating or spoilage that may have begun in the central core. While unloading, feel and smell canola as it comes out of the bin. Check for visual abnormalities such as sweating. Run another moisture and temperature test. In the absence of adequate temperature sensors, this is probably the only effective way to determine if core temperatures are still high in large storage structures. If canola has any hint of spoilage, consider cycling the whole bin.
 

How is Canada’s role on the international stage changing?

To answer that question, join us at the 2025 Canadian Crops Convention, hosted in partnership by the Canola Council of Canada and Canada Grains Council, March 4-6 at the JW Marriott Edmonton. Network with other industry members, learn from expert speakers and share ideas on how to navigate and collaborate in our complex and ever-changing world. Register by January 15 (that’s today!) and you’ll be entered into a early-bird prize draw to win a four-pack of Apple AirTags. Find more details on the 2025 Convention and register today at canadiancrops.ca.