Canola Stand Establishment. A Guide to Best Management Practices

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1 Canola Stand Establishment A Guide to Best Management Practices

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3 A New Look at Canola Stand Establishment WHY GETTING BACK TO THE BASICS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER Canola has come a long way since its special crop status 30 years ago. Since the first varieties were introduced to Canadian producers, canola has become a commonplace fixture on most western Canadian farms. And in that time, we have seen some significant changes take place in canola production: The move to Argentine (Brassica napus) varieties from Polish (B. rapa) types: over 90% of canola grown today is Argentine. * The move away from conventional to herbicide tolerant systems: conventional varieties account for only 12% of today s canola acres. The remaining 88% are sown to HTC varieties. Growth of hybrids: in 2002, 21% of varieties planted were hybrids; that moved to 36% in A trend toward specialty oil markets: now accounting for 5% of varieties planted, specialty oil varieties are beginning to make a mark. * In Western Canada, we re also seeing fewer summerfallow acres, more continuous cropping, tighter rotations and less tillage. Today s canola varieties offer huge improvements in yield potential and disease resistance over their predecessors. And our familiarity with producing canola has long since removed the special crop status it once had. But better varieties and familiar production methods haven t eliminated production challenges. Disease and insect pressures have also improved just as canola has. Soil disease profiles appear to be changing as disease pathogens adapt to today s agronomic conditions. Flea beetles have expanded their range and are now found much farther north than they were even five years ago. More land than ever before is under minimum-till, fostering conditions favourable for certain diseases and insects, like flea beetles, to overwinter and survive. 1

4 This is why getting back to the basics of canola production is so important. Crop rotations, tillage, fertility, seeding practices, seed treatment choices, field scouting all have important roles to play in successful stand establishment; and successful stand establishment is key to a profitable canola crop, because canola that gets off to a good strong start is better able to overcome most early-season challenges thrown at it, such as disease or flea beetle attack. When you achieve strong stand establishment, you are much more likely to get the high yields and quality you re aiming for. This Canola Stand Establishment Guide was designed to help you achieve that success. It outlines the best management practices in three main areas of stand establishment: seeding practices disease management insect management. At the back of this guide, you ll also find a list of references where you can get further information on canola production, a hand-held flea beetle field scouting guide to help you more accurately assess early season feeding damage, and an at-a-glance risk assessment guide to help you make sound seed treatment and seeding decisions. At Syngenta, we re committed to helping you grow the best canola crop. Use this guide to help build an integrated canola management plan that works best for your farm. * Source: Murray Hartman, Oilseed Specialist, Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. Alberta data. Source: 2003 Ipsos-Reid Canola Variety Market Watch, wave 3. 2

5 Factors Affecting Canola Stand Establishment Achieving strong stand establishment is the result of an integrated management plan that focuses on maximizing those factors that help canola thrive, and minimizing those that hinder it. Best management practices for canola stand establishment centre around three main themes: seeding practices, disease management and insect management. Within these three main groups, there are 10 factors that can affect stand establishment: 1. Crop rotations 2. Seed quality (vigour/seed size) 3. Seedbed preparation (seed-to-soil contact) 4. Seeding date 5. Seeding rate and depth 6. Fertility 7. Weather (frost/cold) 8. Herbicide impact (carryover and contamination) 9. Seed and soil-borne diseases 10. Flea beetles There are only two factors on this list over which growers have no control at all: flea beetle densities and weather. For all the rest, growers do have some influence, and when they exercise that influence, they can do much to mitigate the damage that flea beetles and weather can do. A truly integrated canola stand establishment management plan recognizes that when canola seedlings are weakened by one of the above factors, the effects of the others are magnified. For example, a seed planted too deeply will be more prone to soil-borne disease attack, slower to emerge and be smaller and weaker as a result. The effects of flea beetles or frost on a struggling plant like this are much more severe than on a healthy, vigourous seedling that was planted at an optimal seeding depth. Be sure to take all factors into account when planning your canola crop. 3

6 Seeding Practices

7 Canola seedlings expend a great deal of energy just getting out of the ground. So how you physically seed canola can determine, to a large part, how much energy seedlings have to spend on emergence, and how much is left over for the business of growing into a productive, high-yielding canola plant. Here are some factors to consider. Seed quality. Most of the canola seed sold in Western Canada today is Certified and is therefore of the highest quality possible in any given year. The blue tag guarantees the grower a minimum germination rate of 90%. Growers looking for added assurance should consider having their seed tested at an accredited lab. Variety choice can play a role in crop emergence, but it s secondary to actual seeding practices. Hybrids, for example, tend to pop out of the ground faster than non-hybrid varieties, but if the field is infested with disease, or the seed treatment is not adequate for the conditions present, or the seed is planted too deeply, even a hybrid will have difficulty with emergence. Seedbed preparation. One of the most common causes of seed failing to germinate properly is poor seed-to-soil contact, and that can be a function of poor seedbed preparation. Preparing the seedbed properly is a challenge, particularly with minimum or zero-till systems. Minimum till does help preserve moisture, but high levels of trash can interfere with seed-to-soil contact and reduce germination. As much as possible, the seedbed should be level, uniform, well packed and warm (5 C or higher). Today s larger seeding equipment means many acres can be seeded in one day. But the pressure of completing a seeding operation can sometimes lead producers to increase speed during seeding. It s important to remember that seeding at too high a speed will result in uneven seed and fertilizer placement, could reduce seed-to-soil contact and may, in fact, harm seed, leading to lower germination and higher seed mortality. A conscientious effort during seeding operations will result in improved, even germination and contribute to optimal stand establishment. Seeding date. Seeding early is a good practice, but early is relative. In areas where spring weather is unpredictable, seeding in late April or early May can delay emergence due to cold weather and cold soils. Under warm, moist seedbed conditions, emergence should take 10 to 15 days, but if canola is seeded too early and has to battle cold, snow or frost, it can take three weeks or more. That delay leaves the young canola seedling highly vulnerable to disease and flea beetle attack. 5

8 Seeding rate. Always take into account the natural mortality of canola seed (about 20% to 40%) when planning your seeding rate. Early seeding usually leads to higher mortality. As well, keep in mind that 100% hybridity is not guaranteed nor promised in all HTC varieties. Optimal seeding rates will vary from variety to variety, and from soil type to soil type. Be sure to check with your local canola agronomist if you are unsure. As a rule of thumb, seed five to six pounds per acre to achieve healthy plant densities, and seeding less than 4.5 pounds per acre, regardless of variety, can produce plant stands that will be too thin, especially if higher than average mortality occurs. Remember, low seeding rates leave no margin for error in the event of unexpected pressures, such as frost or heavy flea beetle attack, and can lead to significant yield and quality losses. Seeding depth. The desire is always to seed into moisture, but if you plant canola too deep, emergence is slowed and variable, and seedlings are weakened by soil-borne diseases and the sheer effort to get out of the ground, which leaves them vulnerable to flea beetle attack. Seed too shallow, and germination can be affected by lack of moisture as well as poor seed-to-soil contact. So what s best? Studies have shown that seeding canola more than an inch deep will result in slower emergence and a weakened plant stand. The ideal planting depth is one half to one inch. Be sure to calibrate your seeding equipment to ensure all drills are seeding to the same depth. Fertility. Natural soil fertility can vary over the years and throughout a field, which is why experts recommend annual and multiple soil tests on each field. A thorough soil test should be done every three to four years, but check annually for N and S key nutrients for canola and develop your fertility program accordingly. Also check that seed placed fertilizer rates are not excessive, and ensure that any fertilizer going down with the seed has a safe separation (at least one inch) from the seed. With the trend to minimum tillage and one pass seeding, more fertilizer is being placed at seeding time, and canola is very sensitive to seed row fertilizer. 6

9 Disease Management

10 All soils on the Prairies contain naturally occurring levels of disease pathogens most commonly, Pythium, Rhizoctonia and Fusarium and all contribute to a variety of canola seedling diseases, like damping-off, seedling blight and root rot. Canola seeds themselves can carry disease Alternaria and blackleg, for example picking up the infection from infected pods and stubble, and cycling it through all of the plant s growth stages. Seed Rots Damping-off Damage caused by Rhizoctonia and Fusarium Diseases attack canola throughout the growing season, and many pathogens can survive in the soil for years, so you must plan ahead to defend against them every season. Start with rotations. Proper crop rotations are the best tool available to interrupt canola disease cycles. It s always tempting to shorten canola rotations, particularly when commodity prices put canola in an attractive position. But shortening rotations usually encourages disease inoculum to build up in the soil to levels where even treated seed cannot properly defend itself against the pressure. Rotations of no less than four years are required to optimally manage soil-borne diseases in canola. Choose rotational crops, like cereals, that are not as susceptible to the diseases that affect canola and other cruciferous crops. This is particularly true in areas of intensive canola production where host plants are abundant. Here, seed and soil-borne diseases tend to be more severe and rotations play a crucial role in containing them. Rotations are also important in managing herbicide carryover. If they are too short, particularly in dry years when herbicide breakdown is slower, you run the risk of damaging a new canola crop with the previous years soil residue. Watch out for the seedling disease complex. While all early-season diseases can impact stand establishment, the most serious are those of the seedling disease complex seed rot, damping-off, seedling blight and root rot which are caused primarily by Rhizoctonia spp., Pythium spp. and Fusarium spp., all of which are present in varying degrees in most soils. Moisture and temperature can influence the severity of the seedling disease complex, and what s frustrating is that each pathogen responds well to different conditions. Pythium, for example, thrives in cool, wet conditions where Rhizoctonia does well in dry, warm conditions. 8

11 It means that no matter what your field conditions, you need to take steps to protect against the seedling disease complex. Choose a seed treatment that gives you the broadest spectrum of disease protection possible. Seedling diseases are opportunistic. So, while early seeding may assist with workload management, seeding too early can lead to delayed emergence due to unfavourable weather and soil conditions. This could leave seedlings open to continual attack from soil-borne diseases. Seed treatments can only protect seeds and seedlings for so long before the emerged plants become large enough to fend for themselves. Extended periods between seeding and emergence will only reduce the opportunity for your seed treatment to protect your plants. Helix-Treated Canola Seed The role of seed treatments. Today s canola seed treatments come with various combinations of contact and systemic fungicides designed to protect against a wide range of seed and soil-borne diseases. The presence of disease is a given, so always use a seed treatment to protect against seed and soil-borne diseases in canola. Keep in mind that no single seed treatment controls all of the seed and soil-borne diseases that can affect canola, and that seed treatments, in general, are not equipped to overcome the severe conditions that can occur when shorter canola rotations are practiced. The primary role of any seed treatment is to improve germination and emergence getting young canola seedlings safely through to the two- to four-leaf stage. At that point, the plants should have developed robust root structures strong enough to outgrow further seedling disease attack. Herbicide Carryover Damage Correct diagnosis is key. Accurate diagnoses of seed and soil-borne disease cannot be done with the naked eye. It s easy, for example, to mistake herbicide carryover damage for disease because some of the early physical symptoms are similar, like stunting, yellowing and rotting at the base of the stem. If you suspect disease damage in young seedlings, send samples to an accredited lab for accurate diagnosis. If the test results come back positive for disease, you will have a heads up on what to look for, and protect against, next year. Herbicide Damage (Sprayer Contamination) 9

12 THE MAJOR SEEDLING DISEASES OF CANOLA Disease Seedling Disease Complex (scout at: emergence to four-leaf stage) Root Rot Complex (scout at: emergence to four-leaf stage) Blackleg (scout at: emergence to four-leaf stage and again at flowering, podding and later) Appearance Seeds and seedlings fail to germinate or emerge. Emerged seedlings usually have constricted stems just below the soil surface, topple and die. Stands can be thin, slow to emerge or patchy. Foot rot: hard brown lesions at stem base. Salmon-coloured spore masses often present in lesion. Brown girdling root rot: light brown lesions on taproot and at bases of larger lateral roots. Root finally girdled, leaving a stump. Weakly virulent: whitish spots on leaves, and stems peppered with small dark fruiting bodies. Stem lesions may be shallow and grey or black. Virulent: whitish spots on leaves, and stems with small dark fruiting bodies. Stem cankers deep brown with a dark margin and may cut plant off, causing severe lodging and ripening with shrivelled seed. Damage Dead seedlings are usually compensated for by healthy seedlings. However, in very uneven and patchy stands, yields are reduced. Severe loss may necessitate reseeding. Losses are minor as lesions develop late in season. Early lesions cause premature ripening and reduced yields. A major disease in the Peace River region. Yield losses from pod abortion, pre-tap mature ripening, seed weight loss and shrivelled seed. Weakly virulent: widespread but of minor importance; infects plants very late in season. Virulent: severe early infections result in high yield losses. Control Use Certified seed. Sow shallowly into firm, warm, moist seedbed with adequate fertilizer-to-seed separation. Use seed treatments containing fungicides. Crop rotation. Control volunteer canola and cruciferous weeds in rotation. Use clean seed. Use Argentine (B. napus) varieties where possible, as they are relatively less susceptible. Use management practices as for seedling disease complex. To control weakly virulent and virulent blackleg, use a minimum four-year crop rotation. Control volunteer canola and cruciferous weeds. Stubble and crop residue management are necessary. Seed treatments may reduce spread into areas where disease is absent. Source: The Canola Council of Canada 10

13 Insect Management

14 There are three primary insect pests that can interfere with canola stand establishment: flea beetles, red turnip beetles and cutworms. While all can cause damage, flea beetles are by far the most significant insect pest affecting stand establishment on the Prairies. They occur in most canola-growing regions, and every year they cost growers millions of dollars in yield and quality losses. An insect management plan begins with proper identification of the pest and the damage it causes. Understanding insect lifecycles will help to more accurately time and implement control measures. In all cases, timely field scouting and having a quick response plan in place are key to saving the crop from excessive insect pressure. RED TURNIP BEETLE Identification. Dark red, less than an inch long and with three distinctive black stripes down the back. Lifecycle/damage. Red turnip beetles overwinter as eggs; the grubs hatch in the spring and feed on any available cruciferous plant material before burrowing into the soil to pupate. The adults emerge in early June, which is when they can do their worst damage to a canola seedling crop, particularly one that has delayed emergence. Geography. Red turnip beetles occur sporadically, and tend to be a localized problem. Scouting. Red turnip beetles feed exclusively on cruciferous plants. Look for feeding from the field edges the beetles will have moved from last year s canola fields in search of food. These insects move slowly through a field and completely clean off plants as they go. Control. Adults lay eggs randomly in canola fields in the fall, so cultivating an infested field after harvest can reduce winter survival. If you practice minimum tillage, and don t want to cultivate, the best control is to spray a foliar insecticide as soon as the insects begin to move into the crop in June. 12

15 CUTWORMS Identification. The pale western cutworm larvae are about 1 1 /4-inches long, are greenish, or slate-grey, with a brown head. Red-backed cutworm larvae are about 1 1 /2-inches long, are dark grey with two broad, dull red stripes down the back. Lifecycle. Cutworms overwinter as eggs, which hatch in April and early May. The larvae feed on canola plants until June, then they burrow into the soil to pupate. Adult moths emerge from August to September and lay eggs either in the soil (pale western) or in stubble (red-backed). Feeding damage. Both species of cutworms go through about six growth stages in the larval period from April to June. Holes and notches eaten into plant leaves is typical of feeding damage caused by small, young larvae; and older cutworms eat into plant stems, literally cutting seedlings off at the soil level. Bare patches in the field, particularly on hills and south-facing slopes, are a key indicator of cutworm damage, and can be easily mistaken for poor germination. If you suspect cutworms, dig around the roots of plants on the edge of a bare patch, and look for larvae in the first two inches of soil. Geography. Pale western cutworms are a concern in southern canola growing regions, while the red-backed species are more prevalent in northern areas. Control. Foliar insecticides can be used locally in those areas of the field where cutworms are still actively feeding. The Canola Council of Canada recommends that an insecticide be applied when cutworms exceed three larvae per square metre. It further recommends that spraying is most effective when done in the evening as cutworms feed most actively at night. Seed treatments will not control cutworms. 13

16 FLEA BEETLES There s no question that flea beetle populations have been on the rise in recent years, and their geographical reach appears to be expanding for example, flea beetles were once rare in the Peace region, now they are abundant. While there are no definitive economic thresholds for flea beetles, even a moderate infestation can significantly reduce yields if canola is struggling to establish itself. It means that to effectively control flea beetles, growers need to be more vigilant than ever before checking populations in the fall and scouting in the spring, shortly after emergence. Identification. There are two primary species of flea beetles the crucifer flea beetle, which is uniformly blue-black and shiny; and the striped flea beetle, which has two horizontal yellow stripes running the length of its otherwise black body. They are both small, only 2.5 mm long, and hop away when disturbed, making them hard to see and harder to count. It s one reason flea beetle control programs usually begin with preventative measures, such as seed treatments that include an insecticide. Flea Beetle Damage Life cycle. Overwintering adult beetles begin to emerge in the spring as soon as the daytime temperatures get a few degrees above freezing. They immediately begin to feed on cruciferous plants, such as canola and mustard. Depending on temperature, it can take up to three weeks for all overwintering adults to wake up and start feeding the warmer it is, the more active they are; so if you experience a slow spring, expect a longer emergence period for flea beetles. Adults lay eggs from mid-may to August and this next generation of flea beetles will emerge in the late summer, beginning in late July. They will feed on canola throughout the fall, then retreat to shelterbelts and leaf litter to overwinter and begin the cycle again. Geography. The crucifer flea beetle is abundant across most canola-growing regions, while the striped flea beetle is more common on the northern edges of this region. Factors affecting outbreak. There are three times in the year when you need to be aware of the environmental conditions that can contribute to flea beetle outbreak. Fall. A warm, open fall gives flea beetles sufficient time to feed then safely take cover for the winter. 14

17 Winter. Good snow cover and milder winters protect flea beetles, reducing winterkill and ensuring healthy adult populations come spring. Spring. Under cool spring conditions, flea beetles will usually walk or hop to nearby canola plants to feed. When temperatures exceed 20 C, flea beetles become much more active and can fly several miles in search of food. Economic and agronomic impact. Flea beetles are the most abundant and most economically damaging pest in canola. Yield losses of 10% or more are not uncommon where flea beetles are present in relatively high numbers. Unchecked, flea beetle attack can: cause uneven crop emergence cause thin plant stands (increase weed competition) delay crop development cause uneven crop maturity increase green seed count create wounds on leaves where plant diseases can enter reduce yields Control. Growers have two main tools at their disposal to control flea beetles: seed treatments and foliar insecticides. Seed treatments. Your seed treatment decision should be made in the winter, and it should be based on the flea beetle populations you saw in your canola fields the previous fall. The late-season adult flea beetle population you saw at harvest is your best indication of what kind of flea beetle pressure you can expect the following spring. While there are no hard and fast figures on what constitutes low, moderate and heavy flea beetle infestations, most entomologists say it s not hard to estimate. If fall densities seem low to moderate (i.e. if flea beetles are present but not thick on plants, and if feeding damage is moderate) then you should consider having your canola seed treated with a product like Helix, which provides 14 to 21 days of protection, after emergence, against low to moderate flea beetle pressure. Fall Populations Help Predict Flea Beetle Pressure Next Spring However, if canola plants are thick with flea beetles during the fall and you see significant feeding damage, you are at risk of a heavy and sustained outbreak in the spring and should consider having your seed treated with a stronger product like Helix XTra, which contains twice the amount of insecticide, providing 28 to 35 days of protection after emergence. 15

18 Foliar insecticides. While all of the new generation canola seed treatments contain an insecticide to protect young seedlings against flea beetle feeding damage, in all cases, the flea beetles must bite the plant to die. It means that no matter what product you choose, you should expect to see some feeding damage. You should always plan to scout young canola crops to ensure the flea beetles are being effectively controlled. This is particularly true if you experience heavy and sustained flea beetle attack. In these cases, a seed treatment may not be enough, and you will need to spray a foliar insecticide, like Matador. Field scouting. The industry recommendation is to spray as soon as you observe 25% leaf damage during the early stages of plant growth (prior to the 4th leaf). Therefore, scouting your fields for the first two to three weeks after emergence is critical. To scout, begin by sampling representative areas of your field (feeding is worse on the field edges so walk well into the field). Look for feeding damage on the cotyledons and first true leaves and only spray when you see an average of 25% leaf damage across your sampled plants. The photographs below will help you to accurately gauge feeding damage from zero to 100% damage. 0% Damage 10% Damage 20% Damage 25% Damage SPRAY THRESHOLD 35% Damage 50% Damage 75% Damage 100% Damage 16

19 Appendices APPENDIX I SEED TREATMENT CHOICE The primary factor in making a seed treatment choice is usually flea beetle control do you need extra flea beetle protection or not? To make this decision, you need to anticipate what kind of flea beetle pressure you can expect in the coming spring. The best way to do that is to assess what happened over the previous season. Ask yourself the following questions: 1. Did you experience heavy flea beetle pressure in last year s crop? Yes No 2. Did you see sustained flea beetle pressure in last year s crop (they kept coming seemingly in waves)? Yes No 3. Did you see a high number of flea beetles during last year s harvest (plants thick with insects and significant feeding damage)? Yes No 4. Do you typically have to spray with a foliar insecticide? Yes No 5. Do you routinely blend your canola seed with a granular insecticide? Yes No 6. Do you typically seed early (late April, early May) when environmental conditions are not conducive to rapid plant growth? Yes No HIGH RISK. If you answered yes to most of these questions, you are more than likely at a high risk of experiencing heavy and sustained flea beetle infestations in the coming spring and you should consider having your canola seed treated with Helix XTra. You can count on Helix XTra to provide 28 to 35 days of flea beetle protection after emergence. LOW RISK. If you answered no to most of these questions, you are more likely to experience low to moderate flea beetle pressure next spring. You should consider having your canola seed treated with Helix, which provides 14 to 21 days of protection. 17

20 Still not sure? If your assessment reveals that you had low to moderate flea beetle pressure last year, and can t decide if you need extended flea beetle protection, ask yourself the following: 1. Do you expect this winter to be mild overall (no sustained temperatures of -25 C or lower)? 2. Do you anticipate having good snow cover on your land this winter, particularly in shelterbelts, field edges and ditches? Yes No Yes No If you answered yes to either one of these questions, it s likely that overwintering flea beetles will survive the winter and emerge in healthy and hungry populations come spring. Snow cover and mild temperatures result in lower winterkill rates, adding to your risk factors. Consider choosing Helix XTra for that added protection. 18

21 APPENDIX II SEEDING DECISIONS The bottom line with canola stand establishment is that the healthier and more vigorous the plants are, the better able they are to outgrow early season challenges like cool, backward weather, or dry conditions, or flea beetle feeding. The slower young canola seedlings grow, the more vulnerable they are to these kinds of stresses. The seeding decisions you make in the spring can have a huge impact on whether your crop gets out of the ground quickly and off to a great start or not. What are you doing to minimize your canola stand establishment risk factors. Low Risk High Risk - Long rotations (canola every four years) - Short rotations (canola every two years or less) - Soil temperature 10 C or higher - Soil temperature less than 10 C - Seed early (mid-may) - Seed too early (late April, early May) - Optimum seeding rate (5 to 6 lb./ac.) - Low seeding rate (less than 4.5 lb./ac.) - Shallow seeding (1 inch or less) - Deep seeding (greater than 1 inch) - Uniform seed/fertilizer placement - Variable seed/fertilizer placement - Balanced fertility - Poor fertility - Herbicide rotation practices that - Herbicide rotation practices that minimize carryover accentuates carryover - Appropriate seed treatment based on - No seed treatment, or inappropriate last fall s flea beetle populations seed treatment based on last fall s flea beetle populations - Regular field scouting after emergence - Irregular or no field scouting after emergence 19

22 IMPORTANT NOTE: Achieving strong stand establishment is the result of an integrated management plan that focuses equally on managing disease and insect cycles, minimizing herbicide carryover through proper rotations, managing plant densities through proper seeding practices, optimizing fertility and regular field scouting. The more low-risk practices you use, the better your chances of achieving strong stand establishment and, ultimately, a high-quality, high-yielding canola crop. 20

23 References There are many resources for canola growers in Western Canada to draw on for valuable, accurate production information. If you have questions or concerns about your canola crop, contact any one of these resources for help. The Canola Council of Canada Lombard Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3B 0T6 Ph: (204) Fax: (204) Web: The Canola Agronomy Network Sponsored by the CCC, and tapping into the knowledge of CCC agronomists, researchers, industry agronomists and government extension specialists, the Canola Agronomy Network offers just-in-time canola information to growers via the Internet. Web: Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural Development Murray Hartman Oilseed Specialist Main Floor, Agriculture Building Street Lacombe, AB T4L 1W8 Ph: (403) Fax: (403) Web: www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/app21/rtw/index.jsp Saskatchewan Agriculture Food and Rural Revitalization William Greuel Provincial Specialist, Oilseeds and Transgenic Crops Room 125, 3085 Albert Street Regina, SK S4S 0B1 Ph: (306) Fax: (306) Web: Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Rob Park Oilseeds Specialist 65 3rd Avenue NE Carman, MB R0G 0J0 Ph: (204) Fax: (204) Web: Syngenta Crop Protection Canada, Inc. Rick Istead Crop Manager, Seed Treatments 300, 6700 Macleod Trail South Calgary, AB T2H 0L3 Ph: (403) Fax: (403) Web: Customer Resource Centre: Photo Credits: Middle photo on page 9 courtesy of Alberta Research Council. Photos on pages 3, 4, 12 and 19 courtesy of the Canola Council of Canada. Top photo on page 5 and middle photo on page 8 courtesy of 20/20 Seed Labs Inc.

24 Committed to helping you grow the best canola crop. For more information, please contact our Customer Resource Centre at , or visit us at HELIX, MATADOR and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta group company. 9420/1/04/StandEstabBMP