Research Objective

• Determine how to manage canola under compacted/excess moisture conditions through testing its performance in one of four tillage practices and one of two moisture treatments
• Convey this information to producers through field extension workshops and publications

Project Description

Every grower has to deal with soil compaction to some extent with their machinery moving across their field and this has become an increasing problem with soil that has received excess moisture due to extreme weather events. This project proposes to measure the impact of a combination of different tillage styles (and therefore compaction) with excess moisture on canola stands and their yield. The study will look at four types of tillage treatments (vertical tillage, conventional tillage, subsoiling, and raised bed/controlled traffic agronomy) on crops with one of two moisture treatments (rain-fed or excessively irrigated). There will be 128 plots for the experiment to be replicated to determine how to manage canola stands best under compacted/excess moisture conditions.