Growing Brassica Rapa in Interior Alaska.

Choice of growing different crops is limited in interior Alaska due to short growing season. For years, barley is a continuous crop in the Delta Junction area of Alaska. Such mono crop system may cause soil quality deterioration and has prevented adoption of no tillage practice in the area. Several canola (Brassica rapa) varieties have been tested as rotational crops in the past but were not successful due to late maturity and high green seed content. With introduction of new canola varieties and development of harvesting technologies, canola now has a potential as a rotational crop in the area. The objective of this presentation is to show suitable varieties in combination with harvesting technologies that can make canola as a viable crop in the interior Alaska. Four canola varieties (Maverick, Reward, Hysin 110, and Sunbeam) and three harvesting technologies (direct combining, pushing, and use of desiccate) have been evaluated in Fairbanks and Delta Junction areas of Alaska since 2007. Hysin 110 and Sunbeam in combination with the use of desiccate generated lowest green seed content (<2 %) and higher seed yield in comparison with other varieties and harvest methods. This high yield and low green seed content was even achieved in the wet and low heat unit year of 2008. Thus, with the use of the new variety and harvesting method, canola now can be used as rotational crop in the interior Alaska.