September 14, 2016

Early signs of success for Canola Demonstration Program

Canola /oilseed rape is a significant and important crop which is grown throughout Europe. Growers commonly achieve 4-5 T/ha but they are still looking to increase yields to drive profitability, as are growers in Australia. Through Yara’s crop knowledge and partnerships with crop protection companies, Yara has developed a program to increase yields by 1 T/ha. Key points that influence yield have been assessed and crop production strategies have been developed to optimise the overall impact on yield.   The Yara Australia team has taken some key points and incorporated them into our Canola demonstration program this year. We are testing the benefit of;   1. Supplying part of crop nitrogen requirement with nitrate nitrogen. Nitrate nitrogen is immediately available to the plant and does not have to be converted like urea to be available to the plant. This conversion process occurs more slowly in cold conditions.   2. Splitting phosphorus applications to boost available P  This is important when cold temperatures reduce the availability of soil phosphorus. It can also be a benefit as starter fertiliser rates are lower, lessening potential establishment issues and increasing area planted per fill.   3. Supplying additional potassium.   Potassium helps provide strength to plant cell walls and helps to increase leaf area and leaf chlorophyll content delaying leaf senescence, therefore helping to increase canopy photosynthesis and crop growth. Potassium has also an essential role in plant disease resistance, probably the most effective of all the nutrients.   4. Targeting crop specific micronutrients  The purpose of this is to supply the peak demand required during rapid growth, preventing short term deficiencies that impact yield. The canola crop may not show signs of short term deficiencies which can produce negative impacts on yield – “Hidden Hunger”.   As part of our crop nutritional solution, we are targeting an application of YaraMila 17-5-10(4) during late vegetative growth stage (growth stage 3), to supply nitrate nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in front of the peak uptake period, as illustrated in the graph below.
Targeted applications of phosphorus and potassium have shown increased yields in the UK. Canola/oilseed rape achieved the greatest yield responses in Yara trials last season where applications of phosphorus and potassium were split between autumn and spring. Oilseed rape showed a 0.6t/ha yield response over a similar total rate of both nutrients applied all in the autumn.
 
An application of YaraVita Brassitrel has also been included during vegetative growth (GS 2-3). YaraVita Brassitrel is a canola crop specific product developed by combining an understanding of crop requirements with the availability of these nutrients. Last season, YaraVita Brassitrel increased canola yield by 0.4 T/ha in southern Victoria.
 
Recent inspections of our canola demonstration sites revealed good crop responses to the Yara program.