2014 Statewide Canola Variety Trials

Note:  A pdf version of this report can be downloaded by clicking this link.

Project Leaders:

Brooke Bohannon: Research Associate, NWARC, Kalispell
Bob Stougaard: Professor of Agronomy, NWARC, Kalispell

Project Personnel:

Chengci Chen: Professor of Cropping Systems, CARC, Moccasin
Yesuf Mohammed: Research Associate, CARC, Moccasin
Joyce Eckhoff Professor of Agronomy, EARC, Sidney
Becky Garza Research Assistant III, EARC, Sidney
Peggy Lamb Research Scientist, NARC, Havre
Angela Sebelius Research Associate, NARC, Havre
Ken Kephart Professor of Agronomy, SARC, Huntley
Kelli Maxwell Research Associate, SARC, Huntley
Gadi V.P. Reddy Associate Professor of Entomology, WTARC, Conrad
John H. Miller Research Associate, WTARC, Conrad

Table 1. Sponsor contact information for the varieties tested in the 2014 Montana Statewide Spring Canola Variety

Table 2. Summary of climatic data by location for the 2013-2014 crop year (September - August).

In this summary 32 is considered a killing frost.

Introduction

Canola acreage in Montana is on the rise and in 2014 62,000 acres were harvested yielding 62,000,000 lbs. Currently, Montana is ranked third nationally, behind North Dakota and Oklahoma, for the number of acres harvested. This report summarizes canola performance from six Montana Agricultural Research Centers and is presented in table form. It is advised to pay special attention to the results of those trials grown with similar practices and environments to your own. In addition to location, it is important to review variety performance over time. Results are also located at www.ag.montana.edu/nwarc/research/. 

Objective

The objective of the Montana Statewide Spring Canola Variety Trial is to evaluate the agronomic performance of available canola varieties and breeding lines submitted by commercial and university entities, at six research locations throughout the state. The information obtained from these trials is intended to provide canola growers in Montana with reliable, unbiased information regarding which canola varieties are best suited to their specific production environment.

Procedures

In 2014, sixteen spring canola varieties (Brassica napus) and four seed treatments applied to one variety (HyClass 930) were submitted by five sponsors (Table 1). The seed was distributed to six agricultural research centers: Northern (Havre), Eastern (Sidney), Northwestern (Kalispell), Central (Moccasin), Southern (Huntley) and Western Triangle (Conrad), for testing during the 2014 growing season (Figure 1).

Test protocol and management guidelines were provided to personnel at each location. Seeding rates were calculated using the following formula: (10 plants per sqft x TKW x 9.6) / 70 % survival. The entries were replicated four times using a randomized complete block design.

Seeding date, field crop history, tillage, fertility program, pesticide application, and harvest date are noted in each location’s table.

Data was collected on: number of plants per square foot, date of 50 percent flower and physiological maturity, plant height, percent shatter and lodging (visually estimated on a score from 0 to 100 with 0 equal to none and 100 equal to completely shattered or lodged), yield, percent oil and test weight.

The variety data are presented by location in tables 7 through 16. The Green and Grow seed treatment data by location are presented in tables 19 through 23. The Least Significant Difference (LSD) values are presented for making pairwise comparisons between treatment means (entries). If the difference between two treatment values within a column does not exceed the LSD value, it means that the entries are statistically equal for that particular response variable. If the difference exceeds the LSD value, then the entries are statistically different for that particular response variable. When using the LSD values to make pairwise comparison of treatment means, it is recommended to do so only if the probability values for treatment is less than 5% (Pr>F=0.05). This is referred to as “Fisher’s” protected LSD. 

Using a probability level of 5 percent means that there is a 5 percent probability that the treatment differences are not statistically significant. Or stated another way, there is a 95 percent probability that the treatment differences are statistically significant. A large coefficient of variation (CV) indicates a large amount of variation that could not be attributed to differences in the varieties.

Eastern research center experienced unfavorable weather conditions, resulting in the abandonment of this trial location.

The following results and summaries are for informational purposes only. The presentation of data for the entries evaluated does not imply approval or endorsement by MSU-MAES.

Statewide summaries of variety yield and oil content are presented in Tables 3 through 6 and the Green and Grow seed treatment summaries are in tables 17 and 18.

Results/Summary

Northern Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Havre

Dry conditions at seeding resulted in low stand densities. Yields averaged 1597 lb/A and ranged from 1,343 to 1771 lb/A (Table 7) with ten varieties yielding statistically equivalent to the highest yielding variety ‘InVigor L252’. Test weight averaged 50.5 lb/bu and oil content averaged 46.0 percent.

Significant differences were observed in the Green and Grow trial for fifty percent flowering and yield (Table 19).

Northwestern Agricultural Research Center (NWARC), Kalispell

With 21.9 inches of annual precipitation, the Kalispell location produced an average yield of 3,658 lb/A and ranged from 2,069 to 4,212 lb/A. Eleven varieties yielded statistically equivalent to the highest yielding variety, ‘InVigor L140P’. Test weight averaged 49.0 lb/bu and oil content averaged 47.6 percent (Table 9).

The Green and Grow seed treatments had no effect on any of the measured response variables (Table 20).

Central Agricultural Research Center (CARC), Moccasin

Yields averaged 1,086 lb/A, and ranged from 818 to 1,258 lb/A. However, no significant differences were observed for yield. Average test weight and oil content were 50.0 lb/bu and 44.7 percent, respectively (Table 11).

No significant differences were observed with the Green and Grow seed treatments, (Table 21).

Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center (WTARC), Conrad

Heavy kochia pressure caused erratic stand establishment resulting in a high CV for yield (Table 13). Yields averaged 1,107 lb/A and ranged from 680 to 2,026 lb/A. Test weight averaged 46.6 lb/bu.

The Green and Grow seed treatments did have a significant effect on plant density (Table 22).

Southern Agricultural Research Center (SARC), Huntley

Yields averaged 1,536 lb/A and ranged from 1,221 to 1886 lb/A. However, there were no statistical differences for yield. Test weight and oil content averaged 49.4 lb/bu and 39.8 percent respectively (Table 15).

The Green and Grow seed treatments had no effect on any of the response variables (Table 23).

Future Plans

With global canola demand increasing and Montana acreage increasing, coupled with continued support from the canola industry and research center personnel, multilocation canola evaluations will continue in 2015.

Table 3. Yield (lb/A) summary from the Montana statewide spring canola variety trial - 2014

Table 4. Yield (lb/A) summary 2011 - 2014 from the Montana statewide spring canola variety trial

Table 5. Percent oil content summary from the Montana statewide spring canola variety trial - 2014

Table 6. Percent oil content 2011 - 2014 from the Montana statewide spring canola variety trial

2014 Montana Statewide Canola Variety Trial, Northern Agricultural Research Center, Havre, MT

Table 7. Agronomic data from the statewide canola variety trial, Havre, MT - 2014

PLNT: plant; FLWR: 50% flowering; HT: height; LOD: lodging; SHTTR: shatter; PM: physiological maturity; YLD: yield; TWT: test weight; ns: nonsignificant

Yield and test weight have been adjusted to 8% moisture.

Table 8. Canola yield (lb/A) summary 2011 - 2014, Havre, MT

2014 Montana Statewide Canola Variety Trial, Northwestern Agricultural Research Center, Kalispell

Table 9. Agronomic data from the statewide canola variety trial, Kalispell, MT - 2014

PLNT: plant; FLWR: 50% flowering; HT: height; LOD: lodging; SHTTR: shatter; PM: physiological maturity; YLD: yield; TWT: test weight; ns: nonsignificant

Yield and test weight have been adjusted to 8% moisture.

Table 10. Canola yield (lb/A) summary 2011 - 2014, Kalispell, MT

2014 Montana Statewide Canola Variety Trial, Central Agricultural Research Center, Moccasin

Table 11. Agronomic data from the statewide canola variety trial, Moccasin , MT - 2014

PLNT: plant; FLWR: 50% flowering; HT: height; LOD: lodging; SHTTR: shatter; PM: physiological maturity; YLD: yield; TWT: test weight; ns: nonsignificant.

Yield and test weight have been adjusted to 8% moisture.

Table 12. Canola yield (lb/A) summary 2012 - 2014, Moccasin, MT

2014 Montana Statewide Canola Variety Trial, Western Triangle Agricultural Research Center, Conrad

Table 13. Agronomic data from the Montana statewide canola variety trial, Conrad, MT - 2014

PLNT: plants; FLWR: 50% flowering; PM: physiological maturity; HT: height; LOD: lodging; SHTTR: shatter; YLD: yield; TWT: test weight; ns: nonsignificant.

Yield and test weight have been adjusted to 8% moisture using a nursery average value of 4.7%.

Table 14. Canola yield (lb/A) summary 2011 - 2014, Conrad, MT

2014 Montana Statewide Canola Variety Trial, Southern Agricultural Research Center, Huntley

Table 15. Agronomic data from the Montana statewide canola variety trial, Huntley, MT - 2014

PLNT: plant; FLWR: 50% flowering; HT: height; LOD: lodging; SHTTR: shatter; PM: physiological maturity; YLD: yield; TWT: test weight; ns: nonsignificant.

Yield and test weight have been adjusted to 8% moisture.

Table 16. Canola yield (lb/A) summary 2011 - 2014, Huntley, MT

Table 17. Yield (lb/A) summary from the Montana statewide Green and Grow spring canola variety trial - 2014

AGR: Agriplier seed treatment, ns: nonsignificant

Table 18. Percent oil content summary from the Montana statewide Green and Grow spring canola variety trial - 2014

AGR: Agriplier seed treatment, ns: nonsignificant

Table 19. Agronomic data from statewide Green and Grow canola trial, NARC, Havre, MT - 2014

AGR: Agriplier seed treatment; PLNT: plant; FLWR: 50% flowering; HT: height; LOD: lodging; SHTTR: shatter; PM: physiological maturity; YLD: yield; TWT: test weight; ns: nonsignificant.

Yield and test weight have been adjusted to 8% moisture.

Table 20. Agronomic data from statewide Green and Grow canola trial, NWARC, Kalispell, MT - 2014

AGR: Agriplier seed treatment; PLNT: plant; FLWR: 50% flowering; HT: height; LOD: lodging; SHTTR: shatter; PM: physiological maturity; YLD: yield; TWT: test weight; ns: nonsignificant.

Yield and test weight have been adjusted to 8% moisture.

Table 21. Agronomic data from statewide Green and Grow canola trial, CARC, Moccasin, MT - 2014

AGR: Agriplier seed treatment; PLNT: plant; FLWR: 50% flowering; HT: height; LOD: lodging; SHTTR: shatter; PM: physiological maturity; YLD: yield; TWT: test weight; ns: nonsignificant.

Yield and test weight have been adjusted to 8% moisture.

Table 22. Agronomic data from statewide Green and Grow canola trial, WTARC, Conrad, MT - 2014

AGR: Agriplier seed treatment; PLNT: plant; FLWR: 50% flowering; HT: height; LOD: lodging; SHTTR: shatter; PM: physiological maturity; YLD: yield; TWT: test weight; ns: nonsignificant.

Yield and test weight have been adjusted to 8% moisture.

Table 23. Agronomic data from the statewide Green and Grow canola variety trial, SARC, Huntley, MT - 2014

AGR: Agriplier seed treatment; PLNT: plant; FLWR: 50% flowering; HT: height; LOD: lodging; SHTTR: shatter; PM: physiological maturity; YLD: yield; TWT: test weight; ns: nonsignificant.

Yield and test weight have been adjusted to 8% moisture.