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

Introduction
1. Introduction
Don McCaffery, NSW DPI
Canola is the major broadleaf rotation crop in the grain
producing regions of Australia. Since its introduction to
Australia in the late 1960s, canola has grown into the major
oilseeds industry, providing national economic benefits in
employment, processing, manufacturing and exports.
This guide has been written by a team of experienced
research and extension agronomists and industry specialists.
It highlights best practice management for canola in southeastern
Australia (New South Wales, Victoria and South
Australia). There are 16 chapters in total covering issues
from selecting the right paddock, through to harvesting,
marketing and oil quality. It is written for anyone involved
in the canola industry; growers, agronomists, consultants,
students, and others involved in the canola ‘value chain’.
Many of the principles presented in the guide are similar
across New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
However, there will be specific regional practices which have
not been fully discussed. Users of this guide should refer
to alternative publications for more specific information on
regional topics and for new technology and new practices as
they are developed.
Canola belongs to the botanical family Brassicaceae,
which also includes mustard, turnip, wild radish, cauliflower,
cabbage and broccoli.
Prior to 1988, canola was known as rapeseed in
Australia; the word rape coming from the Latin word ‘rapum’
meaning turnip.
Ancient civilisations in Asia and the Mediterranean
cultivated rapeseed and used its oil, which produces a
smokeless white light, for lighting.
It was recorded in India as early as 2000 BC and was
grown in Europe in the 13th century. Canola was first grown
in Canada in 1942 for use as a lubricant by ships of the
Allied Navies.
In 1956 the first edible oil was extracted in Canada.
Canola was trialled in Australia in the early 1960s and was
first grown commercially in 1969, following the introduction
of wheat delivery quotas.
The early varieties were all of Canadian origin and of
poor quality by today’s standards. The disease blackleg
devastated crops in the early 1970s and so breeding
programs were established to develop varieties with canola
quality edible oil, improved resistance to blackleg, and higher
yield potential.
Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s production
remained reasonably static below 100,000 hectares.
By the late 1980s, production began to rise, with the
release of higher yielding, high-quality, disease-resistant
varieties with better agronomic characteristics. At the same
time, the value of canola in cropping rotations was being
increasingly recognised.
The first herbicide-tolerant variety was released in 1993,
incorporating triazine herbicide tolerance (TT). This allowed
expansion into Western Australia and in parts of the eastern
states where difficult-to-control weeds had previously limited
canola growing. The release of improved TT varieties in
the late 1990s resulted in significant sowings in all states,
particularly Western Australia (Figure 1.1), and national
production topped one million tonnes for the first time. The
first imidazolinone tolerant (Clearfield ® ) variety was released
in 1999, further expanding weed control options. Genetically
modified glyphosate tolerant varieties, incorporating the
Roundup Ready ® trait were grown commercially for the first
time in 2008 in NSW and Victoria.
High oleic, low linolenic acid varieties were grown
commercially for the first time in 1999. These varieties differ
from conventional canola in the fatty acid profile of the oil
which increases its uses, especially for deep frying.
Although the first canola hybrid was released in 1988, it
has taken till the past few years for hybrids to be grown on a
large scale. Canola breeding of the future will focus more on
hybrids.
World canola production was about 57 million tonnes
in 2008. The major producing countries are China, the
European Union, Canada and India. Canada is the major
exporter and Japan and the European Union are the major
importers. Australian canola competes with Canadian
product in the international marketplace.
Canola is the third most important winter grain crop in
Australia, behind wheat and barley. For the 10-year period
Figure 1.1 Harvested area of canola: Australia total and
south-eastern Australia; and average yield (1971–2008)
Area ('000 ha)
2000
1750
1500
1250
1000
750
500
250
Yield (t/ha)
2.0
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1.0
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0
71 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 02 04 06 08
Aust area ('000 ha) SE Aust area ('000 ha) Aust yield (t/ha)
SOURCE: ABARE estimates, Australian Oilseeds Federation (AOF) industry estimates
Canola best practice management guide
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