The Effect of Residue Management, Row Spacing, and Seeding Rate on Winter Canola Establishment and Survival.

The Effect of Residue Management, Row Spacing, and Seeding Rate on Winter Canola Establishment and Survival Baylee M. Showalter1, Kraig L. Roozeboom1, Scott J. Dooley1, Michael J. Stamm1, and Robert Figger2 1Agronomy Department, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 2AGCO Corp., Hesston, KS Winter survival of canola (Brassica napus L.) is a major challenge for producers using high-residue no-tillage systems. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of residue management and seeding density on stand establishment, winter survival, and yield. An innovative residue management system being developed by AGCO Corp. was assessed in 0.5 and 0.76-meter row spacing against six cooperating canola producer’s no-till residue management and planting method. This on-farm experiment was conducted at six locations in Kansas into either corn or wheat residue. AGCO treatments were 0.5 or 0.76-m row spacing and three seeding rates for a total of six treatments. Fall plant densities in AGCO treatments were considerably greater than targeted seeding rates, along with plant densities in cooperator treatments at the Andale location, but were close to targeted rates at other locations. During the 2014-15 growing season Kansas experienced dramatic lows in early winter with temperatures dropping below zero by middle November. Five of the six locations were abandoned due to low average winter survival. In the remaining Andale location, spring plant density was greater in 0.5-m rows and reflected the seeding rate increments noted in the fall plant densities. Winter survival was greater in 0.5-m rows at 33% when compared to 0.76-m row spacing at 17% survival. Winter survival decreased with increasing seeding rate, which was perhaps due to greater plant-to-plant competition with greater seeding rates and wider row spacing. The cooperator 0.76-m rows had greater winter survival at 34% versus the AGCO 0.76-m rows at 17%. Although yields were variable across the experiment at Andale due to non-uniform stand losses, treatment factors did influence yield. A trend was observed with increasing yield in 0.5-m rows as seeding rate treatments decreased. Results indicate that narrower row spacing and reduced seeding rates in high residue no-till systems are beneficial for winter survival and yield if residue can be adequately removed from the seed row.