Seeding management to reduce temperature stress in Brassica species

Abstract

Fall seeding is a promising new technology for canola production in the prairie. A field trial was conducted to extend this technology to the semiarid prairie, where at least some drought and heat stress is expected routinely. The objective was to see whether fall seeding is better suited to all oilseed Brassica species. Fall seeding advanced growing season and flowering in all B. species. Fall seeded crops were less stressed due to heat or water shortage. Species and seeding dates influenced seed yield. Early spring seeding was higher yielding than fall seeding due to large yield decline observed in Polish canola and mustard (8 to 30%) due to fall seeding, while the same decline in Argentine canola was only 1-9%. However, delaying seeding to late spring reduced yield significantly in all three species. The result needs to be confirmed under hotter and drier season.