Rolette County Ag Alerts!

 Mark Miller
County Agent
Courthouse, Box 430
Rolla,  ND  58367
Phone: 477-5671
mamiller@ndsuext.nodak.edu

May 29, 2001                                                                                                                                              Issue #4

DETERMINATION OF CANOLA STANDS BY HOOP METHOD

Established stands of canola are important to growers for both yield potential and weed competition. Minimum stands (plant populations) of 3-4 plants per sq. ft. An easy method to determine canola plants stands is the "hoop or circle" method. Use of a "hula hoop" or making one with a stiff wire or rod would also work. The area of a circle can be calculated: 3.14 x (radius in inches)2=sq. feet/circle 144

Below are some calculated examples:

Hoop or circle diameter Sq. feet/hoop

When checking fields, toss the hoop at 10-12 sampling sites while scouting a field. Sample representative areas and stands throughout the field. Count the number of plants within the hoop at each throw and record. Average the number of plants found over the samples counted.
To determine canola plant stands:

Ave. Number plants/hoop count = number of plants per sq. foot sq. ft./hoop

example: 34 inch hoop with 44 plants ave./hoop count 44 = 7 plants/ft. sq. 6.3

Number of plants per Acre: 7 plants x 43,560 sq. ft./A=304,920 plants/A

If planting populations are 2 or less per sq. ft. then one should carefully scrutinize the stand. Is the sparse stand fairly uniform throughout the field. If this is true it perhaps can be left to grow, branch and compensate for the low populations. Other factors to consider would be weed control and competition with weeds, reseeding risks of planting late and hitting hot weather during bloom stage, seed and replanting costs, chemicals and possible herbicides residues for other crop choices.

WHEN IS IT TOO LATE TO PLANT SMALL GRAINS

We are now well past the date considered late for planting small grains. The two factors to consider when dealing with late seeded small grains are, will the crop avoid hot temperatures during vegetative development and will the crop be mature before fall frosts. If you can answer yes to both of these questions then its not to late.

The most critical factor to consider when planting small grains late is temperature. Ideally spring seeded small grains need a three to four week period of cool temperatures, less than 80E F, following planting. This insures adequate vegetative development. Shorter periods result in reduced tillering, and smaller head development. So the correct answer to the question "When should I stop planting small grains?" is, two to three weeks before continuous 80E+ F temperatures begin. If cool temperatures persist then late planted small grains can do well. Conversely, if it gets hot and dry a small grain crop likely will not perform well.

Don't over look the impact of delayed planting on crop quality. As planting is delayed protein content is likely to rise in both wheat and barley. While high protein is desirable in wheat, planting barley late may result in a crop with protein unacceptably high for malt quality. This can be countered in part by reducing nitrogen inputs but is no guarantee.

CRITICAL PERIOD OF WEED CONTROL IN CANOLA

The critical period of weed control is the portion of the life cycle of a crop during which it must be kept weed free to prevent yield loss due to weed interference. A critical period experiment was conducted at three locations in southern Manitoba for 2 years. Results of the experiment indicated that canola must be kept weed free in most cases until the four-leaf stage, and in one case the 6 leaf stage, of the crop in order to prevent >10% yield loss due to weed competition. After the four to six leaf stage of the canola crop, few weeds emerged.

Mark' Stress Workshop                                        

A fellow was invited to the home of some old friends for dinner. His buddy preceded every request to his wife by endearing terms, calling her Honey, My Love, Darling, Sweetheart, Pumpkin, etc.

The guest was impressed since the couple had been married almost 70 years, and while the wife was off in the kitchen he said to his friend, "I think it's wonderful that after all the years you've been married, you still call your wife those pet names."

His buddy hung his head. "To tell you the truth, I forgot her name about ten years ago."

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Updated May 29, 2001 Shelley Armstrong, Webmaster

NDSU Extension Service, North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Sharon D. Anderson, Director, Fargo, North Dakota. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. We offer our programs and facilities to all persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, Vietnam era veterans status, or sexual orientation; and are an equal opportunity employer.
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