Agricultural News
Rain Likely to Extend Flowering of Winter Canola- Adding Pods and Yield Potential to 2015 Crop
Thu, 16 Apr 2015 05:56:25 CDT
The rains of this past weekend have arrived in time to benefit the 2015 Winter Canola crop- and Heath Sanders with the Great Plains Canola Association says that he expects fields of canola that are now flowering will likely flower for a longer period of time this spring because of the rain- "we should have enough time to let this crop go through its life cycle and make a crop."
Sanders talked with Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays at the variety plots at the Kingfisher County Fairgrounds- one of the stops for the 2015 Winter Canola Field Tours organized by OSU Extension. You can hear their full conversation by clicking on the LISTEN BAR below.
Ironically, the OSU variety plot in Kingfisher was the poorest canola we saw in traveling from northwest Oklahoma City to Kingfisher, with the Roundup Ready varieties- including many of the varieties that are currently being used by farmers- having thin stands and not looking nearly as good as some of the newer varieties that were from the K-state breeding program, from European breeders like Limagrain and some of the experimentals from current seed suppliers like Croplan and Pioneer. Several fields along Northwest Highway in Canadian County were far more uniform and taller in height .
Sanders says the rains received will not finish this crop- but puts us on a track to have a successful pod set, which is essential for good yields when we harvest. Speaking of harvest, Sanders says that if we can some additional rains and stay away from extremely hot temperatures- the crop will slow its pace back to a more normal development and could mean a very end of May- early June harvest for many canola producers.
Sanders acknowledges that north central Oklahoma still needs more rain than has been received in the last couple of systems in order to give the canola plants a chance to regroup, flower some more and improve its yield potential. He contends we are in better shape than a year ago, which was a very disappointing year of production for winter canola- and soured many farmers on the crop. If harvest ends up with better results this year- that could coax at least some of those producers into giving canola another try as a rotational crop with their winter wheat.
Sanders urges patience with this year's crop- and that farmers will need to keep an eye on their fields and monitor for insects- and expect an extended time of flowering as the canola takes advantage of the moisture and produces more pods. If those pods are allowed to set and mature- that will result in more pounds of canola come harvest 2015.
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