Seeding Rates for Winter Canola - Indiana and Ohio.

Winter canola is a potential new crop for Ohio and Indiana. Seed cost, especially new hybrid varieties, may affect its adoption. It has been hypothesized that seeding rates may be lowered without greatly affecting yields. To test this hypothesis, two varieties were established with three seeding rates (2.2, 4.5, and 6.7 kg ha^-1) at two Ohio and two Indiana sites in the fall of 2008 and 2009. Experimental design was a two-factored randomized block replicated four or six times.  There was no significant interaction between variety and seeding rate for either year so only main effects are reported. In 2009, yields were similar among the three seeding rates at the one surviving site in Indiana. Yields at the Ohio sites were similar between the 4.5 and 6.7 kg per ha rates; however, yields were reduced at the 2.2 kg per ha seeding rate. In 2010, yields were similar among the three seeding rates at the two Ohio sites and one Indiana site. At the other Indiana site, the 6.7 kg ha^-1 treatment yielded less than the two lower seeding rates (yields were similar for the two lower rates).  Rates at 4.5 kg ha^-1 should be an adequate seeding rate for winter canola in Ohio and Indiana. Depending on the year, yield reductions may occur at lower seeding rates.