Winter Canola Production: Transition to Row Cropping by Brian Caldbeck, M.Sc3. PRIMARY CHALLENGE TO
SUCCESS OF WINTER CANOLA
T
DELTA T
80-90°F Southern US Regions
vs.
30-50 °F Spring Canola Regions
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4. Seed Bed: 200 bu./ac.+
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(12.5mt/ha) BT Corn Stalks
6. Winter Canola Seeding Options for
Commercial Farming Operations
• Reduce/incorporate residue with tillage
• No-Till Establishment
• Burn Residue and Drill
8. Poor uniformity in Emergence,
Pounding Rain on structure less soil
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13. Winter Canola / Corn Stalk Interactions
Dead Plant following
early Dec. 7°F freeze
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15. Seeding Winter Canola with
Wheat Seeders
Single or Double Disc Openers
Narrow Seed Distribution 0.5 to 1.0”
vs.
Shovel/Sweep Openers 4” to 6”
Seed Spread
18. Fluted Roller Metering Mechanisms
Geared down to very low rpm
resulting in “Dumping” of multiple
seeds down seed tube
Bunching of
Small Seed
Fluted
metering
roller
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24. Healthy Plant: Identical Conditions,
Frozen Soil Surrounding Stem
Preventing
Physical Rupturing.
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25. No-Till Winter Canola
(Wheat Seeders)
Limited Success in Heavy Corn Stalks
Acceptable Performance in Bean
Stubble (not a very common rotation)
26. Mowed Corn Stalks Planted with a
Single Disc Opener No-till Wheat Drill
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34. Planting Winter Canola With Row
Crop Equipment
• Depth Control
• Residue management with Row Cleaners
• Extensive Research on Row Width Flexibility
35. Row Crop Planter: Sorghum Plates / Brush Meters
Seed/Sulfur Blend & Min-Till Seedbed
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51. Additional Benefits of Row Cropping
Winter Canola
• Fertility Efficiency through Banding P & N
• High output equipment: tight planting window
• White Mold Management air/stalk diameter
• Precise Seed rates matched to moisture/soils
• Residue reflectance/moderation of soil temps
• Moisture Conservation with No-Till
• Superb Depth Control on Row Units
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52. WINTER CANOLA
AMERICAN FARMERS’ NEXT ROW CROP
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53. Thank you: Brian Caldbeck
brian.caldbeck@caldbeckconsulting.com
Agronomic Support for RUBISCO SEEDS LLC
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