Alternative seeding dates (fall and April) affect Brassica napus canola yield and quality

Abstract

. 2000. Alternative seeding dates (fall and April) affect Brassica napus canola yield and quality. Can. J. Plant Sci. 80: [713][714][715][716][717][718][719]. Brassica napus L. canola production on the Canadian prairies often is limited by hot, dry growing conditions in early July and a short growing season. Brassica napus canola seeded in the fall just prior to freeze-up or in the early spring as soon as fields are passable may allow canola to avoid these adverse conditions. Our objective was to determine if late October (fall), or mid-to late April (April) seeding dates improve canola yield and quality relative to a mid-May (15 to 20 May) seeding date. Plant density and height, phenological development, seed yield, seed weight and seed oil content were assessed in plots sown to herbicide-tolerant B. napus canola at three seeding dates on five fallow sites and three stubble sites at Scott, SK, from 1994 to 1998. A thinner plant stand occurred for the fall compared with spring seeding dates; however, this difference rarely corresponded with less canola yield. Fifty percent flowering occurred 20 d earlier (June rather than July), reproductive growth (50% flowering to maturity) was 10 d longer, plants were 23 (fall) or 8 (April) cm shorter, and maturity occurred 13 d earlier when canola was seeded in the fall and April compared with mid-May seeding. Canola seed yield was 38% greater when seeded on the alternative dates rather than the more traditional mid-May seeding date. The yield advantage for alternative seeding dates was greater and more consistent on stubble than on fallow likely because of lack of soil crusting and temperature and wind protection from stubble. The response of seed weight to seeding date was similar to that for seed yield, indicating that a portion of the positive yield response to alternative seeding dates was associated with larger seed size. Oil content also was greater for the fall and April compared with mid-May seeding dates, but the improvement was smaller (6%) than that for seed yield. Fall-and April-seeded canola tolerated spring frosts and avoided adversely hot, dry weather during the flowering period, thus improving canola seed yield and quality. Alternative seeding dates provide canola producers in semi-arid regions with a sustainable option to diversify their cropping systems.Key words: Seeding date, dormant, stubble, fallow, herbicide tolerant, alternative cropping practice.Kirkland, K. J. et Johnson, E. N. 2000. Effets de la date de semis, automne ou avril, sur le rendement et la qualité de Brassica napus (type canola). Can. J. Plant Sci. 80: 713-719. La production du colza (Brassica napus L.) de type canola dans les prairies canadiennes est souvent plafonnée par le temps chaud et sec qui sévit en début de juillet et par la longueur insuffisante de la saison de végétation. Le semis réalisé en automne, juste avant l'installation du gel ou en début de printemps dès que les champs sont praticables permettrait éventuellement d'éviter ces mauvaises conditions. Dans cette optique, n...

The effect of late fall seeding time on the seed production of Italian ryegrass

“…This illustrates that coolseason grasses have a high capacity to rapidly increase tiller numbers (Nelson 1996). Tiller densities for spring seedings were always higher than for fall seedings (data not shown) similar to previous studies on fall and spring seeded canola (Kirkland and Johnson 2000) and annual ryegrass (Coulman et al 2013) Tiller densities among cultivars were different only at Carman, with Bardelta having the highest number of tillers.…”

“…A number of studies have been conducted with the annual species canola (Brassica napus L.) to compare late fall and spring seedings. Kirkland and Johnson (2000) showed a yield advantage for late fall seedings over spring seedings; however, other studies (Karamanos et al 2002) have shown lower yields for fall seedings. Results have varied for different ecozones, with more positive results for late fall seedings in areas that have more stable fall and winter temperatures, and a consistent insulating snow cover (Johnson et al 2004).…”

The Biology of Canadian Weeds. 137. Brassica napus L. and B. rapa L.

“…In domesticated B. napus, maximum seed oil levels were reached at physiological maturity (Fowler and Downey 1970;Rakow and McGregor 1975). Seed oil content and seed yield tend to be greater in western Canada (Canvin 1965;Kirkland and Johnson 2000) and Australia (Mailer and Cornish 1987) in B. napus and B. rapa crops when planted in the autumn or early spring compared with the traditional time of seeding (mid-to late spring) while waterlogging decreased the seed oil content in domesticated winter B. napus in the United Kingdom (Cannell and Bedford 1980). For a review of the environmental effects on seed oil content in domesticated B. napus and B. rapa, readers are directed to Mendham and Salisbury (1995).…”

“…Similar seed yield component values were reported by Morrison et al (1990) in a field study on domesticated B. napus in monoculture in Manitoba. In Saskatchewan, Kirkland and Johnson (2000) found a negative relationship between time of emergence and seed size of progeny in domesticated B. napus where the size of individual seeds decreased substantially (up to 25% smaller) when the crop was planted in mid-May compared with late-April or the previous fall.…”

Management of crop water under drought: a review

“…Schwarte et al (2006) showed an optimum curve for seeding date of triticale in continental semi-arid Iowa, USA, requiring 533°C days before winter to obtain highest yield potential. Kirkland and Johnson (2000) tested alternative seeding dates, i.e. fall and April, compared to traditional May sowing for rapeseed at a continental site of the Canadian prairie where hot dry weather frequently affects flowering.…”