Desiccant Effect on Canola Seed Moisture, Yield, and Quality.

A study was conducted at Minot, ND and Bozeman, MT from 2010-13 to evaluate the use of desiccants as a canola harvest aid.  The objectives were to determine the effect of desiccants applied preharvest at one timing on canola yield, seed moisture, and seed quality.  Diquat was applied at 280 and 420 g/ha with NIS at 0.25% v/v.  Saflufenacil was applied at 25, 50, or 100 g/ha alone and at 25 g/ha in a tank mix with glyphosate at 840 g ae/ha.  Glyphosate was applied alone at 840 g ae/ha with AMS and with 82 g/ha of glufosinate.  Glufosinate was also applied alone at 594 g/ha.  Flumioxazin was applied at 72 g/ha with MSO.  Saflufenacil treatments included MSO and AMS.  Diquat was applied at 187 L/ha while other treatments were applied at 94 L/ha.  One treatment was swathed with a plot swather as a comparison to current grower practices.  The desiccant and swath treatments were harvested 14 days after treatment (DAT).  The study was conducted using a randomized complete block design.  Diquat generally provided the fastest pod and stem desiccation.  Diquat desiccation at 280 g/ha was not much different than 420 g/ha.  Saflufenacil alone, flumioxazin, and glufosinate + glyphosate tended to provide slightly slower stem desiccation.  Saflufenacil and flumioxazin alone tended to provide less effective moisture reduction.  There tended to be slightly more seed loss in the diquat and glufosinate treatments though not excessive. None of the treatments resulted in excess green count.