Canola Establishment in the Low Rainfall Zones of the Western Region

2022 - 2023

Research organisaton
Funding source

Trial details

Researcher(s) Chloe Rout
Year(s) 2022 - 2023
Contributor Living Farm
Trial location(s) Salmon Gums,
Bruce Rock, WA
Cunderdin, WA
Holt Rock, WA
Merredin, WA
Morawa, WA
Quairading, WA
Southern Cross, WA
Yuna, WA
Canola Establishment in the Low Rainfall Zones of the Western Region locations
Aims

The project objective is to validate and extend previous agronomic and management research on how to successfully establish canola in the low rainfall zones of WA, as well as including feedback on what has/has not worked for growers through a series of field trial demonstrations and extension. By the conclusion of the project in March 2024, 60% of canola growers in the low rainfall zones of the Western Region will have access to the agronomic knowledge to improve the establishment and germination rates of canola.
Specifically, the project aims to:
1) Provide trial data and visual evidence of treatments that maximize canola establishment
2) Evaluate the ease of implementation of the treatments
3) Discuss and assess possible limitations to grower operation.

Key messages

1. The placement of the seed relative to soil moisture and soil temperature conditions at sowing during 2022 and 2023 seasons had the largest influence on canola establishment across the low rainfall zones of WA. Delaying sowing to avoid exposing the canola seed and seedlings to high temperatures and placing the seed shallow in the soil profile above soil moisture in North Mallee (2023), Merredin (2022), Morawa (2022 and 2022), and Yuna (2023) maximised canola establishment, with a follow up rainfall event.
2. Grading open pollinated seed to above 1.8 mm was shown to improve canola establishment on a sandy soil type in North Mallee (2023), however, did not influence canola establishment in Merredin (2022) or Holt Rock (2023) on heavier soil types where soil moisture was present at seeding.
3. Fertilizer placement was shown to influence canola establishment at Cunderdin with the increased separation UAN below the seed associated with improved establishment.
4. The use of 25 cm row spacing (compared to 75 cm spacing) maximised canola establishment rates at Southern Cross.
5. The addition of SACOA SE14 soil wetter did not significantly influence canola establishment in any of the nine trials in which it was tested. However, good soil moisture was present at sowing for majority of the trials and subsequently the influence of soil wetters on canola establishment requires further research in varying seasons.
6. Besides the two trials at Yuna in 2023, none of the trials experienced a dry season start for seeding. Further canola establishment research is required to better understand how to avoid large canola establishment failures in unfavourably dry sowing conditions.

Bruce Rock WA 2023

Trial variety: Nuseed Raptor TF

Cunderdin WA 2022

Trial variety: Nuseed Emu TF

Holt Rock WA 2023

Trial variety: Nuseed ATR Bonito

Merredin WA 2022

Trial variety: Nuseed HyTTec Trident
                    Nuseed ATR Bonito

Merredin WA 2023

Trial variety: Nuseed Raptor TF

                    Nuseed Emu TF
                    BASF InVigor 4022P

Morawa WA 2022

Trial variety: Nuseed Emu TF

 

Morawa WA 2023

Trial variety: Nuseed Emu TF

Quairading WA 2023

Trial variety: BASF InVigor R 4520

Southern Cross WA 2023

Trial variety: Nuseed HyTTec Trident
                     Nuseed ATR Bonito

Yuna WA 2023

Trial variety: Pioneer 44Y27

                    BASF InVigor 4022P

Lead research organisation Living Farm
Host research organisation N/A
Trial funding source GRDC LIV2112-001SAX
Related program N/A
Acknowledgments N/A
Other trial partners Not specified
Download the trial report to view additional trial information

Method

Crop type Oilseed: Canola
Treatment type(s)
  • Crop: Variety
  • Fertiliser: Application Method
  • Fertiliser: Rate
  • Herbicide: Timing
  • Sowing
  • Sowing: Placement
  • Sowing: Rate
  • Sowing: Row Spacing
  • Sowing: Timing
  • Sowing: Sown into moisture
  • Seed treatment: Type
Trial type Experimental
Trial design Randomised,Replicated

Bruce Rock 2023

Sow rate or Target density 25 plants/m2
Sow date TOS1: 13th Apr; TOS2: 28th Apr 2023
Harvest date 20 October 2023
Trial design method RCBD Randomised Complete Block Design
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication N
Plot blocking yes
Plot randomisation Y

Cunderdin 2022

Sow rate or Target density 40 plants/m2
Sow date 19 April 2022
Harvest date 23 October 2022
Trial design method RCBD Randomised Complete Block Design
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication N
Plot blocking yes
Plot randomisation Y

Holt Rock 2023

Sow rate or Target density 25 plants/m2
Sow date 11 April 2023
Harvest date 26 October 2023
Trial design method RCBD Randomised Complete Block Design
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication N
Plot blocking yes
Plot randomisation Y

Merredin 2022

Sow rate or Target density 40 plants/m2
Sow date 21 April 2022
Harvest date Not applicable
Trial design method RCBD Randomised Complete Block Design
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication N
Plot blocking yes
Plot randomisation Y

Merredin 2023

Sow rate or Target density 15 plants/m2; 25 plants/m2
Sow date 3 April. 4th April and 25 April 202315
Harvest date 18 October 2023
Trial design method RCBD Randomised Complete Block Design
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication N
Plot blocking yes
Plot randomisation Y

Morawa 2022

Sow rate or Target density 15 plants/m2 and 30 plants/m2
Sow date TOS1: 6th Apr; TOS2: 7th May 2022
Harvest date 28 October 2022
Trial design method RCBD Randomised Complete Block Design
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication N
Plot blocking yes
Plot randomisation Y

Morawa 2023

Sow rate or Target density 15 plants/m2; 30 plants/m2
Sow date TOS1: 6th Apr; TOS2: 28th Apr 2023
Harvest date 28 October 2023
Trial design method RCBD Randomised Complete Block Design
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication N
Plot blocking yes
Plot randomisation Y

Quairading 2023

Sow rate or Target density 20 plants/m2; 40 plants/m2
Sow date TOS1: 6th Apr; TOS2: 4th May 2023
Harvest date 1 November 2023
Trial design method RCBD Randomised Complete Block Design
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication N
Plot blocking yes
Plot randomisation Y

Southern Cross 2023

Sow rate or Target density 10 plants/m2; 20 plants/m2; 30 plants/m2
Sow date 5 April 2023
Harvest date 18 October 2023
Trial design method RCBD Randomised Complete Block Design
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication N
Plot blocking 4
Plot randomisation Y

Yuna 2023

Sow rate or Target density 15 plants/m2; 30 plants/m2
Sow date TOS1: 5th Apr; TOS2: 27th Apr 2023
Harvest date 25 October 2023
Trial design method RCBD Randomised Complete Block Design
Plot size Not specified
Plot replication 4
Psuedoreplication N
Plot blocking 4
Plot randomisation N
Download the trial report to view additional method/treatment information
Trial source data and summary not available
Check the trial report PDF for trial results.
Observed trial site soil information
Trial site soil testing
Not specified
Soil conditions
Trial site Soil texture
Salmon Gums, Not specified
Bruce Rock, WA Not specified
Cunderdin, WA Not specified
Holt Rock, WA Not specified
Merredin, WA Not specified
Morawa, WA Not specified
Quairading, WA Not specified
Southern Cross, WA Not specified
Yuna, WA Not specified
Derived trial site soil information
Australian Soil Classification Source: ASRIS
Trial site Soil order
Salmon Gums, Calcarosol
Bruce Rock, WA Hydrosol
Cunderdin, WA Sodosol
Holt Rock, WA Sodosol
Merredin, WA Sodosol
Morawa, WA Kandosol
Quairading, WA Chromosol
Southern Cross, WA Calcarosol
Yuna, WA Tenosol
National soil grid Source: CSIRO/TERN
NOTE: National Soil Grid data is aggregated information for background information on the wider area
Actual soil values can vary significantly in a small area and the trial soil tests are the most relevant data where available

Soil properties

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Climate

Derived climate information

No observed climate data available for this trial.
Derived climate data is determined from trial site location and national weather sources.

Salmon Gums WA

Bruce Rock WA

Cunderdin WA

Holt Rock WA

Merredin WA

Morawa WA

Quairading WA

Southern Cross WA

Yuna WA

Salmon Gums WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Bruce Rock WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Cunderdin WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Holt Rock WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Merredin WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Morawa WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Quairading WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Southern Cross WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Yuna WA

NOTE: Exact trial site locality unknown - Climate data may not be accurate
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Some data on this site is sourced from the Bureau of Meteorology

SILO weather estimates sourced from https://www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au/silo/
Jeffrey, S.J., Carter, J.O., Moodie, K.B. and Beswick, A.R. (2001). Using spatial interpolation to construct a comprehensive archive of Australian climate data , Environmental Modelling and Software, Vol 16/4, pp 309-330. DOI: 10.1016/S1364-8152(01)00008-1.

Trial report and links

2022 trial report



Trial last modified: 13-06-2024 10:29am AEST