best practice management guide for south-eastern Australia - Grains ...

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Canola in the low-rainfall cropping zone cent per week in NSW for each week’s delay in sowing past the optimum time. Delayed sowing can also reduce oil content by about 0.5–0.8 percentage oil points per week. Variety maturity x sowing time interaction Although the general rule is for early sowing for maximum yield and oil content, varieties with an appropriate maturity class need to be chosen for a given sowing time. Do not sow early maturing varieties early. Mid April sowing of early maturing varieties can result in frost damage during pod filling and this can be costly in better seasons. Early flowering and maturing cultivars avoid some of the high temperature and moisture stress likely in spring. Brassica juncea (Indian mustard) has been developed for lower rainfall areas. The main advantages over canola are better heat and moisture stress tolerance. No-till canola crop establishing well near Nyngan NSW. Photo: G. Brooke, NSW DPI Optimal row spacing will vary for different low rainfall environments. Photo: P. Parker, NSW DPI with stubble retention, maintains sowing moisture in the surface layers of the soil, and can extend the period when it is possible to sow canola after the previous rainfall event. Sowing can also occur on smaller rainfall events, which are common in the low-rainfall cropping zone. Low disturbance seeding is preferable when sowing early as less soil drying occurs. Rain following conventional sowing often leads to crusting. This problem is reduced by stubble retention and no-till seeding. Modern guidance systems and controlled traffic allow inter-row seeding in no-till systems. Early sowing within the sowing window In the absence of severe frost, generally the earlier the crop is sown the higher the potential yield. Sowing time for canola is a compromise between sowing late enough to minimise frost injury in the early spring and early enough to minimise high temperatures and moisture stress. Early sown crops can better utilise stored moisture from depth. However, if crops are sown too early they may flower in mid winter and therefore be frosted. Optimal sowing time for the low rainfall zones of NSW, Victoria and South Australia is discussed in detail in Chapter 5. To summarise, expect a yield penalty of five per cent per week in South Australia and Victoria, and 10 per Plant population In the low rainfall zone, aim for a lower plant stand than in medium and high rainfall zones. A uniform plant stand is critical for reaching yield potential in this zone. It improves weed competition, promotes more even growth and maturity and sets the crop up for the best possible yield. Recommended plant populations are discussed in Chapter 5 for each area within the low rainfall zone of southeast Australia. Plant population targets are generally lower in the low-rainfall zone of NSW (30–50 plants/m 2 ), where subsoil moisture is more critical. In South Australia, 40–70 plants/m 2 is recommended, as the crop relies more on in-crop rainfall. The Victorian Mallee has similar targets to NSW. Row spacing Row spacing configurations in the low rainfall zone have been adopted to suit stubble retention and no-till seeding as much as any consideration for the crop. Optimal row spacing will vary depending on subsoil moisture, sowing time and growing season temperatures. In the summer dominant rainfall areas of north-west NSW, growers use wide rows (60–66 cm) to manage stored soil moisture because of greater uncertainty of in-crop rainfall. Row spacings of 30–33 cm are widely used in the low-rainfall western areas of central and southern NSW, in the Victorian Mallee and in South Australia, although some narrower (18–25 cm) spacings are still used. Wider rows tend to result in lower establishment rates for a given seeding rate, presumably due to seedling competition within the plant row. Wider rows also promote taller plants if there are too many plants in the plant row. Correct nutrition Less than optimal nutrition can reduce yields and lower water use efficiencies in marginal environments. Ensure nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur rates are adequate to achieve the target yield. Zinc may also be required on alkaline grey soils. To calculate fertiliser requirements refer to Chapter 7. Do not apply more than 10 kg/ha nitrogen with the seed in low-rainfall areas, especially when sowing early into warm soils, and take care with nitrogen rates with the seed on wider row spacings. 30 Canola best practice management guide
Nutrition and soil fertility 7. Nutrition and soil fertility Paul Parker, NSW DPI As with any crop, it is critical for profitability to closely match canola’s nutritional requirements with target yields. Canola requires high inputs per tonne of grain for the major (macro) nutrients nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and sulfur (S) compared with other crops (Table 7.1). However, on a per hectare basis, canola’s nutritional requirements are similar to cereals, as yields are usually about 50 per cent of wheat. Nutritional requirements will vary depending on soil type, rainfall, rotation and target yield. Canola crops will not achieve potential yields if any of the major nutrients, or trace elements, are deficient. Crops which have a higher yield potential, such as those sown early, will have a higher demand for nutrients. A good knowledge of a paddock’s history and fertility status (preferably determined from soil tests), in conjunction with the crop’s expected nutrient removal, will help in determining the type of fertiliser, the rate and when to apply it. Soil testing Soil testing for the macro nutrients is the most reliable way to determine the chemical and nutrient status of the soil. Apart from deep soil nitrogen tests, soil tests should be done well before the crop is sown to ensure adequate time for laboratory testing and interpretation of the results. Nitrogen Role and deficiency symptoms Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for plant growth and plays an important role in the formation of many plant compounds, including proteins and chlorophyll. Nitrogen deficiency will Canola is highly responsive to nitrogen. Photo: P. Hocking, CSIRO Table 7.1 Comparison of the average amount of the major nutrients removed per hectare per tonne of grain and stubble for a range of crops, including canola and wheat Nitrogen (kg/ha) Phosphorus (kg/ha) Potassium (kg/ha) Sulfur (kg/ha) Grain Stubble Grain Stubble Grain Stubble Grain Stubble Canola 40 10 7 2 9 26 10 3.2 Wheat 21 8 3 0.7 5 21 1.5 1.5 Barley 20 7 2.5 0.7 4.5 18 1.5 1.5 Oats 20 7 2.5 0.6 4.5 18 2 1 Lupins 51 10 4.5 0.4 9 16 3 2.5 Canola best practice management guide 31
Page 1 and 2: Canola best practice management gui
Page 3 and 4: Contents Contents 1. Introduction..
Page 5 and 6: Introduction 1. Introduction Don Mc
Page 7 and 8: Grain quality 2. Grain quality Rod
Page 9 and 10: Grain quality Erucic acid The level
Page 11 and 12: The canola plant and how it grows 3
Page 13 and 14: The canola plant and how it grows S
Page 15 and 16: Crop rotation and paddock selection
Page 21 and 22: Crop establishment 5. Crop establis
Page 23 and 24: Crop establishment Certified seed i
Page 25 and 26: Crop establishment Dry sowing in dr
Page 27 and 28: Crop establishment Sowing depth - g
Page 29: Canola in the low-rainfall cropping
Page 33 and 34: Nutrition and soil fertility Nitrog
Page 35 and 36: Nutrition and soil fertility Sulfur
Page 37 and 38: Nutrition and soil fertility Molybd
Page 39 and 40: Nutrition and soil fertility Mangan
Page 41 and 42: Weed management 8. Weed management
Page 43 and 44: Weed management of the herbicide to
Page 45 and 46: Weed management Burning windrows ca
Page 47 and 48: Pests of canola 9. Pests of canola
Page 49 and 50: Pests of canola Cutworm caterpillar
Page 51 and 52: Pests of canola Lucerne flea. Photo
Page 53 and 54: Pests of canola Controlling snails
Page 55 and 56: Pests of canola Winged aphids migra
Page 57 and 58: Pests of canola bag or plastic tray
Page 59 and 60: Diseases of canola 10. Diseases of
Page 61 and 62: Diseases of canola Figure 10.1 2009
Page 63 and 64: Diseases of canola Alternaria leaf
Page 65 and 66: Diseases of canola Downy mildew on
Page 67 and 68: Grazing and fodder conservation 11.
Page 69 and 70: Grazing and fodder conservation Gro
Page 71 and 72: Irrigation management 12. Irrigatio
Page 73 and 74: Irrigation management Terraced cont
Page 75 and 76: Bees and pollination 13. Bees and p
Page 77 and 78: Windrowing and harvesting 14. Windr
Page 79 and 80: Windrowing and harvesting Windrowin
Page 81 and 82:
Windrowing and harvesting Severe wi
Page 83 and 84:
Windrowing and harvesting Timing of
Page 85 and 86:
Post-harvest management 15. Post-ha
Page 87 and 88:
Marketing 16. Marketing Dick Benson
Page 89 and 90:
Marketing because of a sudden colla
Page 91 and 92:
Acknowledgements Acknowledgements T
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