Recently in Harvest management Category
I'm listening to the weather channel and the weather woman just mentioned something about flurries on Thursday. If looks could kill (through TV no less), this poor woman would be stone cold by now.
A seeding season that seemed to drag on into July has left most farmers in Saskatchewan hoping for the kind of balmy September we enjoyed last fall. Alas, it doesn't appear that that's going to happen. Those with canola still standing in the field are faced with the tricky swath-timing decision. Normally, farmers swath according to seed colour change. In the face of impending frost, do you cut it down or let it stand?
The Canola Council released its thoughts on the topic today.
With the chance of frost three to five days away, you SHOULD swath if:
Canola seed has matured to at least 15% or 20% seed colour change on the main stem, and if seeds are firm all the way to the top. The yield penalty from swathing this crop early will be relatively small, according to the Council's news release. The crop may not dry down to below 20% but drying it down to 30% will cause less frost damage than staying at 45-50% — especially if the temperature gets down to -3°C or more. Swathing these crops today may help save the grade, and if the frost doesn’t materialize growers won’t have sacrificed too much yield.
Do NOT swath if:
Seed colour change is less than 10% with lots of watery seed in upper pods and pods on branches. These really green fields likely won’t dry down enough to completely protect them anyway. By leaving these fields standing, farmers could see higher yields IF the forecast frost doesn’t materialize or isn’t severe.
As for whether or not wet ground will protect the crop from frost at all, the Council's agronomists say "not likely." It’s moisture on the crop — rain or heavy dew — that provides some protection from frost. However, lots of ground moisture should increase the chances of higher humidity and heavier dew.
It all comes down to risk management. Jim Bessel, agronomist with the Canola Council, says that farmers are well aware of the risks of leaving a standing crop, but that each farm has a unique set of circumstances to consider. "If you've got a good portion of the crop swathed at the proper time but are worried about a few last fields, you should be able to account for the loss of quality (in the later fields)," he says.
For those with green or on the cusp fields, Bessel holds some hope for this particular canola crop to weather cool temps or a light frost. It's been cool, slowing down the crop's biological processes, and that may provide some protection against a light frost, he says. Think of it as reversed hardening off, like you do with seedlings from a greenhouse in the spring. "All the humidity at ground level could help as well," Bessel says, as high humidity provides a buffer for temperature extremes.
Some farmers have asked if canola in a swath is more protected than standing canola. Bessel says it's theoretical, but that, yes, the overall crop could sustain less damage because of lower surface area, an increased temperature at the interior of the swath and the closeness to the ground providing some latent heat. That said, Bessel warns this is only really a benefit for those crops already closer to turning. If a crop is totally green swathing — and any of its benefits or buffers — won't help.
A seeding season that seemed to drag on into July has left most farmers in Saskatchewan hoping for the kind of balmy September we enjoyed last fall. Alas, it doesn't appear that that's going to happen. Those with canola still standing in the field are faced with the tricky swath-timing decision. Normally, farmers swath according to seed colour change. In the face of impending frost, do you cut it down or let it stand?
The Canola Council released its thoughts on the topic today.
With the chance of frost three to five days away, you SHOULD swath if:
Canola seed has matured to at least 15% or 20% seed colour change on the main stem, and if seeds are firm all the way to the top. The yield penalty from swathing this crop early will be relatively small, according to the Council's news release. The crop may not dry down to below 20% but drying it down to 30% will cause less frost damage than staying at 45-50% — especially if the temperature gets down to -3°C or more. Swathing these crops today may help save the grade, and if the frost doesn’t materialize growers won’t have sacrificed too much yield.
Do NOT swath if:
Seed colour change is less than 10% with lots of watery seed in upper pods and pods on branches. These really green fields likely won’t dry down enough to completely protect them anyway. By leaving these fields standing, farmers could see higher yields IF the forecast frost doesn’t materialize or isn’t severe.
As for whether or not wet ground will protect the crop from frost at all, the Council's agronomists say "not likely." It’s moisture on the crop — rain or heavy dew — that provides some protection from frost. However, lots of ground moisture should increase the chances of higher humidity and heavier dew.
It all comes down to risk management. Jim Bessel, agronomist with the Canola Council, says that farmers are well aware of the risks of leaving a standing crop, but that each farm has a unique set of circumstances to consider. "If you've got a good portion of the crop swathed at the proper time but are worried about a few last fields, you should be able to account for the loss of quality (in the later fields)," he says.
For those with green or on the cusp fields, Bessel holds some hope for this particular canola crop to weather cool temps or a light frost. It's been cool, slowing down the crop's biological processes, and that may provide some protection against a light frost, he says. Think of it as reversed hardening off, like you do with seedlings from a greenhouse in the spring. "All the humidity at ground level could help as well," Bessel says, as high humidity provides a buffer for temperature extremes.
Some farmers have asked if canola in a swath is more protected than standing canola. Bessel says it's theoretical, but that, yes, the overall crop could sustain less damage because of lower surface area, an increased temperature at the interior of the swath and the closeness to the ground providing some latent heat. That said, Bessel warns this is only really a benefit for those crops already closer to turning. If a crop is totally green swathing — and any of its benefits or buffers — won't help.
Pulse growers looking for another dry down option this harvest season beyond Reglone and/or glyphosate can now use CleanStart, NuFarm's Group 14 herbicide. CleanStart can be used to desiccate chickpeas, lentils and peas, and provides control of Canada thistle, kochia, lamb's quarters, wild buckwheat and other pesky weeds at the same time.
The company insists that the product be applied at twice the spring burnoff rate (20 acres per case rate or 450 acres per tote) with 15 gallons of water per acre applied with flat fan nozzles. CleanStart should be applied at maturity (80% leathery pods) and at around 15 degrees C air temperature. Farmers should expect dry down to happen faster than glyphosate alone but slightly slower than Reglone.
For more information, contact NuFarm at 1-800-868-5444.
The company insists that the product be applied at twice the spring burnoff rate (20 acres per case rate or 450 acres per tote) with 15 gallons of water per acre applied with flat fan nozzles. CleanStart should be applied at maturity (80% leathery pods) and at around 15 degrees C air temperature. Farmers should expect dry down to happen faster than glyphosate alone but slightly slower than Reglone.
For more information, contact NuFarm at 1-800-868-5444.
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Grainews editor Lyndsey Smith answers readers' questions, asks her own and, now and then, discusses what's new and interesting in western Canadian production agriculture.
