Check your canola seeding rates

Check your canola seeding rates

Reading Time: < 1 minute Canola seeding rates may require adjusting under certain conditions to optimize plant populations and maximize yields, according to research. Seeding rates may need to be increased when seeding at a later seeding date, when high average temperatures or low precipitation are observed before seeding, or expected after seeding. The Canola Council of Canada recommends targeting […] Read more

University of Alberta researcher Habibur Rahman believes crossing canola with genes from its extended family will result in a host of desirable traits in canola.

Building a better canola with broccoli

Traits from related species may punch up canola diversity

Reading Time: 2 minutes There’s little doubt that canola is a powerhouse crop. Nationwide, it covered nearly 22.1 million acres last year, more than 99 per cent of it on the Prairies. The Canola Council of Canada puts its economic contribution at nearly $30 billion a year. A University of Alberta researcher, backed by the Natural Sciences and Engineering […] Read more


With a plant stand over seven plants per square foot, there can be increased inter-row competition between canola plants fighting for the same available moisture.

How to get the most out of canola crops when moisture is scarce

Is it possible to obtain more yield with less available moisture? You have a number of variables within your control

Reading Time: 4 minutes Trevor Hadwen says recent snowfall in many parts of the Prairies is welcome, but is a “drop in the bucket” when it comes to rebuilding soil moisture reserves. The agroclimate specialist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s National Agroclimate Information Service in Regina says a lot of the winter precipitation to date has been lost to […] Read more

Signs of blackleg in a canola plant.

What pathogen tests should you use for canola?

Reading Time: < 1 minute The Canola Council of Canada encourages farmers to use soil testing for the presence of clubroot DNA, stubble tests for blackleg and verticillium stripe, and additional tests for the presence of sclerotinia stem rot spores. These tests have proven reliable. While these are the major canola pathogens, they are a small sample of the organisms […] Read more


Roughly 2.5 million tonnes of canola seed equivalent stocks are now used for biofuel markets in Canada, the U.S. and the European Union.

Canola sector anticipates biofuel boom

Renewable fuels could give canola demand ‘unprecedented’ growth

Reading Time: 5 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – Increased demand driven by the biofuels market will put upward pressure on canola prices. The biofuels industry could drive canola demand into uncharted territory in the coming decade, says one industry expert. “The capacity of crush could grow from 11.3 million metric tonnes today to 18 million metric tonnes in three or […] Read more

Although drought and markets are the biggest things on canola producers’ minds now,  there is room for optimism, says Alberta Canola’s newly re-elected chair.

Exciting but challenging times ahead for new Alberta Canola board

A new director and a long-time chair share thoughts on the canola industry

Reading Time: 4 minutes A long-time Alberta Canola director is entering his third term as chair and a new member will replace another long-serving director. Roger Chevraux of east-central Alberta was re-elected as director of Region 11 and to his third term as chair. Jeff Frost of Olds replaces Ian Chitwood of Airdrie in his capacity as Region 8 […] Read more