From the Ground Up


Inspiring views on the evolution of soil and agriculture.

Canola Variety Selection for Maximum Drill Performance

Canola field after Prairies thunderstorm

Harvest time across the prairies means a lot of quality time in either the combine, tractor or grain truck cab with the radio on. Over the previous month, radio commercials from canola seed companies have been filling the airwaves. While the primary focus is to complete harvest in a timely and safe fashion, it’s also the best opportunity for producers to evaluate the performance of the canola varieties they’ve grown this year. Each variety has its own agronomic traits that distinguish itself from others, and it’s up to growers to determine which ones work best on their farms for the goals they would like to accomplish in their canola harvest.

A yield trial is one snapshot in time based on the results of a specific field location in that particular year, and the various climatic factors which occurred. It’s easy to select a canola variety based on its yield potential from a field trial, but the fact of the matter is, it may not always be the best fit for your …