Spring canola harvest is underway

Below are updates from the WSU and Washington Oilseed Cropping Systems team as spring canola harvest kicks into gear in eastern Washington and other Pacific Northwest locations.

- The winter canola variety trial harvest is complete for WSU and the University of Idaho. While the yields were nothing like last year, the canola still did pretty well. Weather factors likely played more of a role in the lower yields than other management factors. Preliminary yield results are posted on our website. Other winter canola field studies included fertilizer (macro and micronutrient) rates and timing; a black leg fungicide rate and timing study at Pendleton, Ore .; grazing winter canola; long-term cropping systems including canola and other oilseeds and the relationship between native pollinators and canola management factors.

- We have harvested our large-scale spring canola variety trials at Ralston and Walla Walla. Reardan is about two weeks away from its harvest. The Walla Walla trial was located several miles west of last year’s variety trial on a hillside versus a nearly flat piece of ground. Yields of all but one variety were almost 1,000 pounds higher this year. Differences this year were more spring moisture, cooler spring temperatures and the use of a planter instead of a drill. Preliminary yield results are posted on our website. Other field research with spring crops includes a plant population study with a Monosem planter, camelina planting date study and camelina and safflower in long-term cropping systems with wheat.

- Reports from the spring canola harvest in eastern Washington include average to above average yield, frustrations with harvesting due to more variable ripening than normal and empty and missing pods. Sounds like topics for discussion at the 2019 oilseed workshops!

- Winter canola seed is still available from distributors in the northwest, although some varieties are in limited supply. See the oilseed supply list posted on the Production Information tab or the home page of the website at http://css.wsu.edu/oilseeds.

- Sales closing date for insurance for winter canola and rapeseed in Wash., Ore. and Idaho is August 31, 2018. Final Planting Date varies by county and can be accessed at https://pd.rma.usda.net/apps/ActuarialInformationBrowser2018/DisplayCrop.aspx. For Montana, insurance is available for fall canola and rapeseed, and the crop needs to be inspected in the spring. Contact your local insurance or Risk Management Agency representative for complete information.

- The U.S. Canola Research Conference will be held November 5-6 in Baltimore, Md. It is a great place to hear about the latest research in the U.S. and around the world on winter and spring canola, and to network with those involved in canola production, research, breeding and the entire supply chain. Registration includes the American Society of Agronomy and Crop Science Society of American meetings held at the same facility, and all U.S. Canola Asoociation functions.