Most years, there’s a wide variation in Saskatchewan fields. Seldom is it as extreme as this year. In many cases, the millions of acres of unseeded and flooded land is a mess. It was too wet for good weed control early in the season. It’s common to see waist-high weeds that are drying down from a herbicide application with the telltale ruts from the sprayer tires filled with water. In some cases, as the land dries, producers are resorting to tillage to break down the weed residue and fill in the ruts. While some of the crops in the wet zones are stunted and spindly, there are also some good crops, although many of them are two or three weeks late. On the western side of the province where the flooding wasn’t as serious, there are some absolutely excellent crops. If hail and frost stay away, there will be producers who harvest their biggest crop ever. Contrast that with producers who didn’t get a single acre seeded and you get an idea of the tremendous range in fortunes across the province. I’m Kevin Hursh.
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Tags: ag products, ag services, agricultural products, agricultural services, crop protection, crops, custom application, Dynagra, Fertilizer, finance solutions, herbicide, herbicide application, precision ag, precision agronomics, Saskatchewan, soil fertility, tillage, Variable Rate Technology, VRT, weed control, weed residue, weeds
Crop growth and development is variable within many fields in western Canada. Plus, thin plant stands are taking longer to cover the ground and weeds continue to compete in some fields. A common question being asked is can a field be sprayed after canola begins to bud? Each field should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- The first step is to scout. Scout the crop for signs of stress (e.g. moisture) and growth stage. Scout the weeds to determine what weed species are present and at what stage.
- Weeds that emerge ahead of or at the same time as the canola crop will cause the most yield loss. The following link provides information on time of weed removal: https://canola-council.merchantsecure.com/canola_resources/product36.aspx
- Stressed canola plants will begin reproductive growth earlier than normal (less vegetative biomass produced before initiating buds). Crop damage (flower blast) and yield loss can sometimes occur when herbicides are applied to a crop in bud or bolting stages. The potential for crop injury will vary depending on several factors including the product used, how it is applied (e.g. water volume, time of day) and the level of crop stress. However, weed pressure also causes yield loss. Scout the field thoroughly to determine average crop stage and to determine which stress is most limiting (weeds vs. compromised crop tolerance). Keep in mind that herbicide injury can also delay crop maturity, which is a definite concern this year.
The following link has more information on weed control in canola: http://www.canola-council.org/contents10a.aspx
Tags: Canola, growth, moisture, stress, weeds
Crop growth and development is variable within many fields in western Canada. A common question being asked is when is the best time to spray? Each field should be considered on a case-by-case basis. Keep in mind a few important points:
- The first step is to scout. Scout the crop for signs of stress (moisture) and the weeds to determine what weed species are present and at what stage.
- Weeds that emerge ahead of or at the same time as the canola crop will cause the most yield loss.
- The following link provides information on time of weed removal: https://canola-council.merchantsecure.com/canola_resources/product36.aspx
- Generally it is best to wait for recovery before spraying crops under stress. However, crop tolerance is less of a concern if weed pressure is high (and impacting yield). Evaluate the field to determine what is causing the greater stress.
- Stressed canola plants will begin reproductive growth earlier than normal (less vegetative biomass produced before initiating buds). Crop damage (flower blast) and yield loss can occur when herbicides are applied to a crop in bud or bolting stages. However, weed pressure also causes yield loss. Scout the field thoroughly to determine average crop stage and to determine which stress is most limiting (weeds vs. compromised crop tolerance). Keep in mind that herbicide injury can also delay crop maturity, which is a definite concern this year.
- Some growers are noticing that the grassy weeds are present and need to be controlled, whereas broadleaf weeds are slower to emerge. While research has shown that sequential applications are rarely economical, in this situation, it may be practical to split apply herbicides. This is especially true in drier areas where weeds are competing for precious moisture.
- If herbicide dollars are limited, spray early with the first application and re-assess the need for a second application later. Remember that some weeds (e.g. wild buckwheat) get more expensive and much tougher to control as they get bigger.
The following link has more information on weed control in canola: http://www.canola-council.org/contents10a.aspx
Tags: crops, growth, spraying, weeds
The Canola Council of Canada (CCC) is advising growers to remove weeds early.
“Weeds compete for light, nutrients, and moisture and a canola crop is most susceptible to this weed competition at the seeding stage,” says Arvel Lawson, CCC program manager for crop production.
Lawson points to a recent Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada study that concluded that weeds should be removed before the 3- to 5-leaf crop stage. In this particular study, delaying weed control until the 6- to 7-leaf stage reduced canola yields by 20%.
In recent years, the one pass in-crop herbicide option has become very common in canola since the second in-crop application is rarely economical. If spraying once, the ideal timing is typically the 2- to 4-leaf crop stage. The goal is to spray early emerging weeds before they start to cut into crop yield, but to delay long enough that the crop is approaching the rosette stage when it is more competitive and can keep ahead of later emerging weeds.
However, since cool conditions severely limited early season weed growth this spring, relatively few acres received a pre-seed burnoff, says Lawson. “This has created a scenario where a significant number of weeds are emerging just before or with the canola crop. This can have a considerable negative impact on yield, especially in areas experiencing a moisture deficit. With some additional heat and moisture, this competition will ramp up even more.”
When the option is available, growers may need to consider utilizing two in-crop herbicide passes this year.
“If growers are facing a carpet of weed seedlings and a canola crop that is just poking through or is at the cotyledon or seedling stage, an early herbicide application within label guidelines may be necessary”, says Lawson. “Then before applying the second in-crop, growers should scout to assess weed densities and crop competitiveness. That’s the way to determine whether the second application is truly economical.
“Protecting a canola crop from weed competition early in the season is critical. Though holding off on spraying to hit more weeds in the first application can be an appealing option, it is also a risky one, especially if weed densities are high. Later-emerging weeds may be unattractive and they contribute to the seed bank, but they have much less impact on yield than do weeds that compete early in the season.”
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For more information, contact:
Arvel Lawson
Program Manager for Crop Production
Canola Council of Canada
1-204-982-2124
Tags: cool conditions, protect yield, remove early, weeds
I get asked all of the time whether a grower should do a preseed burn off and my answer is alway “when do you want to spend your money? Up front or at spraying time.” I do get a lot of weird looks when I say that reply but it is true. I have walked too many fields that have flix weed bolting and eighteen whorl cleavers at the post emergent spray time all because the grower said there was nothing growing in the field and decided not to spray. With the preseed products that are now out there we can manage our chemical bill even closer. Many growers and myself included have seen where a good preseed burn off gave them a cheaper post emergent bill where they just had to use MCPA Ester at ten ounces or 2,4-D LV700 at six ounces to cover off the weed spectrum. Now is that every time? No, but everyone is asking me how to save some money this year and this may be one way to try for it. For those of you that have the great pleasure of working with cleavers just make sure to use a product that will give you some extra punch this spring. Glyphosate along is a very poor option when it comes to cleavers and I have pulled my hair out trying to kill these multi stem winter annuals that look like they came out of a horror movie. We do have some good post emergent chemicals for cleavers but it is still easier to kill a five whorl cleaver than a eighteen or twenty whorled one.
We have some great preseed products out there so lets take advantage of them. Talk to your retail and ask what products work the best for your situation.
Just remember, your shadow is the most important thing you can put on your fields this spring because a sixty mile per hour drive by could cost you more than you think.
Those are my thoughts,
Garth Donald C.C.A
Tags: cleavers, field scouting, Preseed burn off, weeds
