Wet conditions in parts of Western Canada have prompted some growers to consider broadcasting their canola this year.
The recent Canola Watch article ‘Broadcast Seeding – May 17, 2017 Issue 8’ published by the Canola Council tackles this very circumstance and offers several tips for success.
Wet conditions in parts of Western Canada have prompted some growers to consider broadcasting their canola this year. Broadcasting canola is regarded as a high-risk measure and should only be chosen as a last resort. However, there are some situations where a canola grower has exhausted all their options and when this happens, the decision to broadcast becomes unavoidable. The recent Canola Watch article ‘Broadcast Seeding – May 17, 2017 Issue 8’ published by the Canola Council tackles this very circumstance and offers several tips for success.
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- Increase the seeding rate – Seed germination and survival could be lower, so to be safe, consider an increase of 1 lb/acre
- Adjust fertility – Adjust your P rate, account for higher N losses, and consider broadcasting N and S, then using a drill for the seed to reduce your weight load on the field
- Assess residue risk – Successful broadcasting requires good seed to soil contact. This may not be possible in fields with lots of straw cover.
- Cultivate or harrow after seeding – Shallow cultivating or harrowing can improve seed to soil contact, and greatly improve results.
- Careful with weed control timing – Seeds on the soil can be highly vulnerable to herbicide. Do not apply post-seed glyphosate to LL or CL seeds that remain on the soil surface. RR varieties can tolerate glyphosate at any time, even on the seed.
- Reset expectations – Yields for broadcasted fields are typically lower, and growers should be prepared for increased management through the season.
- Consider the wind effect – This is more of an issue for spinner spreaders than boom-based spreaders, where the boom is fairly close to the ground. Application on a calm day will help.
The full article can be found at the following link:
http://www.canolawatch.org/2017/05/17/broadcast-seeding-canola-tips/