A Summarization of Past, Current, and Future Winter Canola Research in the PNW.

In 2007 we began to introduce winter canola into the low-rainfall (<12’’) winter wheat-summer fallow region of the PNW. Our initial studies were to determine the optimum canola seeding rate and date. Current and future research include feral rye management in winter canola, variety testing, and the use of high residue cereal crops and the stripper header to allow no-till winter canola planting. In conventional production systems, the optimum rate is 4lb/A and optimum planting date is between August 1 and August 25. Fourteen winter canola varieties including conventional varieties, Roundup resistant varieties, and SU and IMI tolerant varieties are being planted in 4 to 6 winter wheat-summer fallow locations. Feral rye is a major weed infesting the wheat-fallow region. Experiments are being conducted in Okanogan Co. examining the efficacy of Select, Assure II, and Roundup on feral rye control in winter canola. In the summer of 2011 a 20-ft stripper header was purchased for research at the Ralston no-till research site. This current phase of research is investigating planting tall cereal (triticale and winter wheat) varieties and harvesting with a stripper header and a conventional header to compare seed zone moisture and soil temperatures for planting winter canola. A second objective is to determine if winter canola can be successfully planted and established in standing stripper header stubble.