Agronomic Management Practices to Improve Yield and Oil Content of Winter Canola in North Carolina Piedmont.

Agronomic management practices to improve yield and oil content in winter Canola

Ravella, R., Reddy, M. R., Devudigari, A., and Elobeid, A.

Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Design, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411.

Biofuel is the logical alternative fuel source that can power the American economy. Biofuels burn clean and emit less greenhouse gases than gasoline (DOE, 2008). Biofuel production and consumption result in positive net energy and greenhouse gas emissions which will save the environment in the near future (Horne et al., 2003). Dependence on corn for ethanol production has been increasing and might reach its maximum potential by 2010, and to improve the potential of corn production, fertilizer use might increase which will require conventional energy consumption to produce fertilizers and pesticides,  hence growing promising alternative biofuel crops like canola is almost imperative (Heffer, 2007). Canola is a winter annual crop, suitable to be grown in North Carolina. Information on nutrient requirements of canola on Piedmont soils is very limited. In addition, data on suitable varieties, crop rotation and pest control is not available. A three year experiment is set up to study the nutrient requirements of canola for optimum yield realization and to improve the oil content in the seeds. Biofertlizers are included in the treatments specifically targeting at improving the oil content. Four fertilizer treatments (No fertilizer, 100 % RDF*, 50% RDF* + 50% Biofertilizer and 100 %RDF* + Biofertilizer) are evaluated in a split-split-plot design. Chlorophyll readings are recorded and plant tissue and soils samples are collected at flowering and maturation stages to determine the nitrogen availability in the soil and uptake by canola so we can manage the nutrient supply efficiently to obtain maximum yield.

*RDF - Recommended Dose of Fertilizer