May 15, 2009

The planting of canola across western Canada varies from just starting to as much as 50 percent complete, according to the Canola Council of Canada's crop update for the week ended Tuesday (May 12).

         
Seeding operations in areas that are wet have been proceeding at a very slow pace, with only 5 percent to 10 percent of the intended crop in the ground, the CCC said. In the drier areas, seeding of canola has become general with some producers having more than 50 percent of the intended canola in the ground.

Unseasonably cool, dry conditions prevailed across the Canadian grain belt during the reporting period. Spotty rain showers and a few snow flurries meant additional moisture was received, but these events were quite localized.

As a result, soil moisture conditions continue to range from poor to excess.

In Manitoba, much of the Red River Valley - approximately 96,000 acres - still remains submerged under the swollen Red River, although water levels have receded 7 feet from the peak. The rest of Manitoba has good to adequate moisture.

In Saskatchewan, soil moisture conditions range from dry to adequate. In southern Saskatchewan, it continues to be very dry, the CCC said. Seeding is continuing in these areas but germination will likely not occur until precipitation is received. Some producers in Saskatchewan believe it is too dry to seed canola and were waiting for conditions to improve.

In eastern Alberta, a number of dry pockets exist and producers were waiting for precipitation before seeding canola, the CCC said.

Across the remainder of Alberta there is growing concern about the rapidly depleting soil moisture. Seeding operations are continuing but additional precipitation is needed very soon, the CCC said.

Frost has been reported regularly and the forecast for the coming days remains cool with over-night frost in many areas, the CCC said.

Cool growing conditions have limited the amount of weed growth in canola fields this spring, the CCC said.

Insect activity in canola fields has been limited so far this year due to cool temperatures, the CCC said. However, in the Peace River Region of northern Alberta, striped flea beetle feeding has been observed.