Cultivars and Pod Sealants for Straight-Combining Canola In Western Canada.

While swathing canola (Brassica napus) has been the traditionally recommended practice, canola growers in Western Canada are interested in straight-combining this crop.  Rapa and juncea canola are considered well-adapted to straight-combining; however these types tend to yield less and variability in shattering resistance has been observed within the napus species.  Pod sealants intended to reduce pod shattering are available in Western Canada but data evaluating the efficacy of these products for this region is limited.  In 2009, field trials were initiated at four locations in Saskatchewan to evaluate the feasibility of straight-combining canola relative to swathing and to investigate the effects of cultivar selection and pod sealants on seed yields and shattering losses.  The locations, Indian Head, Melfort, Scott and Swift Current, were chosen to represent a broad range of soil and climate conditions.  Five cultivars, including four modern napus varieties and a canola quality juncea were either swathed, straight-combined or straight-combined and treated with one of two separate pod sealant formulations.  Results from 2009 showed a strong varietal response for both seed yield and shattering losses but limited response to the harvest treatments.  Overall, juncea canola was not better suited to straight-combining than the napus varieties and straight-combining was feasible in all cases where harvest was completed in a timely manner.  When harvest was delayed past the optimal growth stage, shattering losses were higher and swathing tended to be advantageous.  No benefits to either of the pod sealant products tested relative to straight-combining untreated canola were observed in the first year.  Field trials are to be continued at five locations in 2010 in addition to a large-scale trial using commercial equipment at Indian Head, Saskatchewan.