Canola After Pulse Crops

K. Neil Harker Canola After Pulse Crops Agronomy Update Jan. 17, 2012

Variable Costs Canola Alberta - 2008 Nitrogen Seed & Seed Cleaning Herbicides Machinery Operating Expense 24 30 29 42 Custom Work & Hired Labour 23 Phosphorous 17 Sulphur & Potassium 15 Utilities & Misc. Expenses 14 Insecticides/Fungicides 10 Hail / Crop Insur. & Premiums 8 0 10 20 30 40 50 $/acre

Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba Canola High Yield Input Study Beaverlodge Edmonton Lacombe Melfort Lethbridge Indina Head Soil types: Swift Current Gray Dark Gray Black Brandon Dark Brown Brown

High Yield, No-Till Canola Seeding rates: 75 or 150 seeds/m 2 100% Fertilizer rate (NPKS) target yields varied by site 150% Fertilizer rate = 150% N + 100% PKS Urea (46-0-0) or 50% ESN (polymer-coated 46-0-0) Fungicide (+ or -): Proline (prothioconazole) Herbicides and Insecticides applied to all plots as needed at recommended rates - at least 1 treatment, additional treatments as required

Experiment 3 - Treatments Treatments 2008 2009 2010 1. 75 seeds - 100% Fertilizer LL1 W1 RR2 2. 75 seeds - 100% Fertilizer + Fungicide LL1 W1 RR2 3. 75 seeds - 100% Fertilizer (50-50 ESN) + Fungicide LL1 W1 RR2 4. 75 seeds - 150% N Fertilizer LL1 W1 RR2 5. 75 seeds - 150% N Fertilizer + Fungicide LL1 W1 RR2 6. 75 seeds - 150% N Fertilizer (50-50 ESN) + Fungicide LL1 W1 RR2 7. 150 seeds - 100% Fertilizer LL1 W1 RR2 8. 150 seeds - 100% Fertilizer + Fungicide LL1 W1 RR2 9. 150 seeds - 100% Fertilizer (50-50 ESN) + Fungicide LL1 W1 RR2 10. 150 seeds - 150% N Fertilizer LL1 W1 RR2 11. 150 seeds - 150% N Fertilizer + Fungicide LL1 W1 RR2 12. 150 seeds - 150% N Fertilizer (50-50 ESN) + Fungicide LL1 W1 RR2 13. 75 seeds - 150% N Fertilizer (50-50 ESN) + Fungicide RR1 LL1 RR2 14. 150 seeds - 150% N Fertilizer (50-50 ESN) + Fungicide RR1 LL1 RR2 15. 150 seeds - 150% N Fertilizer + Fungicide Wes Wes RR2 Harker et al. 2012. Can. J. Plant Sci. (in press)

Canola Response to 150% N - 2008 (bu/ac) Swift Current (40) Melfort (70) 31 31 50 48 0-3 bu/ac response Lethbridge (50) 39 37 Lacombe (70) Indian Head (60) 53 50 95 93 150% 100% Edmonton (70) 91 89 Brandon (55) Beaverlodge (50) 41 38 44 42 0 20 40 60 80 100

Canola Response to 150% N - 2008 Site N added N cost Yield (kg/ha) $* (bu/ac) Beaverlodge 34 20 2 Brandon 50 30 3 Edmonton 59 35 2 Indian Head 55 32 3 Lacombe 79 47 2 Lethbridge 59 35 2 Melfort 23 14 2 Swift Current 35 21 0 *N cost based on urea (46-0-0) price of $590/tonne Spring 2011 Green cells = yield increase covered extra N cost, yellow cells - NOT (based on $10/bu canola)

Canola Response to 150% N - 2010 (bu/ac) Swift Current (40) Melfort (70) 42 38 52 59 1-7 bu/ac response Lethbridge (50) 63 68 Lacombe (70) Indian Head (60) 42 49 83 82 150% 100% Edmonton (70) 89 86 Brandon (55) 38 43 Beaverlodge (50) 50 47 0 20 40 60 80 100

Canola Response to 150% N - 2010 Site N added N cost Yield (kg/ha) $* (bu/ac) Beaverlodge 35 21 3 Brandon 50 30 5 Edmonton 41 24 3 Indian Head 65 38 7 Lacombe 72 42 1 Lethbridge 79 47 5 Melfort 59 35 7 Swift Current 43 25 4 *N cost based on urea (46-0-0) price of $590/tonne Spring 2011 Green cells = yield increase covered extra N cost, yellow cells - NOT (based on $10/bu canola)

Rationale for Current Study High N costs and volatility has increased interest in alternative nitrogen sources Previous research suggests that pulse crops can achieve high levels of N 2 fixation and contribute to the N economy of cereal crops (Walley et al. 2007) Little info. on growing pulse crops before canola Hybrid canola is a strong consumer of N

Questions to Answer Will pulse crops leave more moisture in the soil profile compared to crops such as wheat? Will a pulse crop followed by another dicot (canola) exacerbate disease issues e.g. sclerotinia? What impact does the relatively slow release N provided by pulse crops have on canola yield & soil health sustainable canola systems?

Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba Beaverlodge Legumes Before Canola Study Lacombe Scott Lethbridge Swift Current Indina Head Soil types: Gray Dark Gray Black Brandon Dark Brown Brown

Experimental protocol 2009 2010 Faba bean (green manure) Faba bean (grain) Field pea (grain) Lentils (Clearfield) grain Wheat (Clearfield) Canola (Clearfield) RR canola RR canola RR canola RR canola RR canola RR canola Solo (imazamox) was applied to all crops in spring 2009

Fertilizer rates Year 1 (2009): -Legumes: no nitrogen -Canola: soil test recommendation -Wheat: soil test recommendation -P,K,S = soil test recommendation Year 2 (2010) all RR canola: -Nitrogen at 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg/ha -P,K,S = soil test recommendation

All Experiments were direct-seeded (no-till) ConservaPak air seeders with knife openers were used at all locations For the green manure trt., fababean was sprayed with glyphosate at early pod and mowed

Not everything you will see should be practiced on your farm

Average Soil Nitrate Levels - Fall 2009 soil test results Highest after faba bean green manure Slightly higher after pulses than after non-pulse crops Similar after canola and wheat Large variation from site to site

Beaverlodge 2010 Canola yield (bu/acre) averaged over 5 N rates 50 45 40 35 30 47 40 39 P = 0.0078 37 37 33 FABGM LENTIL PEA FABEAN WHEAT 25 CANOLA 20

Beaverlodge - Large benefit of green manure - Small N response except with canola & fababean seed Yield (t/ha) 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Nitrogen (kg/ha) fababean seed faba green manure canola wheat pea lentil Soil nitrate (mg kg -1 ) 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Lacombe 2010 Canola yield (bu/acre) averaged over 5 N rates 90 80 70 60 78 P=0.0151 67 54 59 FABGM LENTIL PEA 50 40 30 FABEAN WHEAT CANOLA 20 2009 Problems with flooded plots and cutworms (Lentil & Pea)

Lacombe - Overall canola yield related to Fall soil nitrate levels - GM vs. others yield gap at high N levels. Mineralization? Yield (t/ha) 5.0 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Nitrogen (kg/ha) fababean seed fababean green manure canola wheat Soil nitrate (mg kg -1 ) 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Lethbridge - 2010 60 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 Canola yield (bu/acre) averaged over 5 N rates 56 48 46 45?? 42 36 FABGM LENTIL PEA FABEAN WHEAT CANOLA Wheat in Lethbridge had severe stripe rust used less N

Lethbridge - Soil nitrate after wheat was high due to severe stripe rust - High yield after GM & low yield after canola not related to fall soil nitrate levels - N response similar for all crops 4.0 80.0 Yield (t/ha) 3.0 2.0 Soil nitrate (kg ha -1 ) 70.0 60.0 50.0 40.0 30.0 1.0 fababean seed canola Faba GM wheat 20.0 10.0 pea lentil 0.0 0.0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Nitrogen (kg/ha)

Indian Head - 2010 Canola yield (bu/acre) averaged over 5 N rates 45 40 39 P<0.0001 FABGM 35 36 LENTIL PEA 30 25 30 23 25 23 FABEAN WHEAT CANOLA 20

Indian Head - Low soil nitrate after canola, wheat or fababean seed associated with low control yield - Benefits of green manure and lentils persisted over N rates Yield (t/ha) 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 fababean seed fababean green manure canola wheat pea lentil 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Nitrogen (kg/ha) Soil nitrate (mg kg -1 ) 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

50 45 40 35 30 25 Scott - 2010 Canola yield (bu/acre) averaged over 5 N rates 45 P=0.0088 38 37 37 36 35 FABGM LENTIL PEA FABEAN WHEAT CANOLA 20

Scott - Small but consistent N response. Similar results at SC. - N and non-n benefits of green manure - Minor benefits of pulse crops Yield (t/ha) 4.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Nitrogen (kg/ha) fababean seed faba green manure canola wheat pea lentil Soil nitrate (mg kg -1 ) 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Higher N rates increased sclerotinia (Scott only)

Higher N rates increased sclerotinia (Scott only)

Swift Current - 2010 55 50 45 40 35 30 25 20 Canola yield (bu/acre) averaged over 5 N rates P=0.0834 49 49 48 48 44 44 35 Low legume yields due to 2009 drought FABGM LENTIL PEA FABEAN WHEAT CANOLA

Brandon - Both N and non-n benefits of legumes - Curvilinear response pattern with high soil nitrate 4.0 80 70 Yield (t/ha) 3.0 2.0 1.0 0.0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 Nitrogen (kg/ha) fababean seed fababean green manure canola wheat pea lentil Soil nitrate (mg kg -1 ) 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

Summary Yield Increase (bu/ac) Effect of different crop stubbles on canola seed yield (bu/ac) gain or loss compared to wheat stubble Crop residue Beaverlodge Lacombe Lethbridge Indian Head Scott Swift Current Brandon Fababean (GM*) 11.3 23.6 10.4 14.3 7.9 4.8 8.4 Fababean (seed) 0.5 13.2-3.9-1.6 1.3 5.2 3.4 Pea (seed) 2.9 --- 2.5 4.8 2.7 4.3 5.7 Lentil (seed) 3.2 --- 0.7 10.9 1.8 4.3 3.8 Canola (seed) -3.0 5.2-10.2-0.9-0.7 0.5-3.3 White cell yields were not significantly different from canola yields on wheat stubble

Summary - $/ac Effect of different crop stubbles on canola yield returns gained or lost compared to wheat stubble Crop residue Beaverlodge Lacombe Lethbridge Indian Head Scott Swift Current Brandon Fababean (GM*) 113 236 104 143 79 48 84 Fababean (seed) 5 132-39 -16 13 52 34 Pea (seed) 29 --- 25 48 27 43 57 Lentil (seed) 32 --- 7 109 18 43 38 Canola (seed) -30 52-102 -9-7 5-33 White cell yields were not significantly different from canola yields on wheat stubble

On-Going Rotations 2011 2012 2013 Malt barley Faba bean (green manure) Canola Malt barley Faba bean Canola Malt barley Field pea Canola Malt barley Lentils Canola Malt barley Wheat Canola Malt barley Canola Canola