Developing Canola Agronomy with Precision Planters

Priorities
Agronomic Practices 
Start Date
2016
End Date
2019
Principal Investigator
Ken Coles - Farming Smarter
Co-Investigators
Adil Akbar - Farming Smarter, Robert Blackshaw - Farming Smarter, Eric Bremer - Symbio Ag Consulting
MCGA Funding
$87,750
Total Project Funding
$175,500
External Funding Partners
Alberta Canola
Report

Research Objective

The objectives are to evaluate if using a precision planter in canola production would significantly increase canola seed survival and establishment with a focus on:

    • canola establishment
    • reducing damage from spring frosts
    • if lower seeding rates could maintain the same yield
    • if wide row spacing could maintain the same yield

Therefore, the main objectives were to:

  • Determine emergence (%, uniformity) for precision planter and solid seeded canola in 12" and 20" row widths
  • Determine optimal seeding rate for both systems under 12" and 20" widths
  • Determine safe seed placed rate of liquid phosphorus with precision planter

Project Description

A precision planter allows the grower to even more accurately control seed depth, spacing, and germination during planting and is already being used in corn and soybean production. Precision planters have the potential to improve the proportion, uniformity, and rapidity of canola emergency because currently only 40-60% of canola seed sown survives This project aims to determine if a precision planter could optimize seeding time without any yield penalty and therefore decrease costs and time. This study will look at how using a precision planter affects canola establishment, if it reduces damage from spring frost, and if yield can be maintained with either a lower seeding rate or wide row spacing when compared with optimal seeding rates. This study will be done in two different locations with different soil zones: one in the Dark Brown soil zone and the other in the Brown soil zone under irrigated and non-irrigated conditions. There will also be different seeding rates and soil moisture conditions so that difference in seeding technology can truly be evaluated.

 

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