August 27, 2009

Soil moisture levels were nearing capacity in a number of canola fields in Manitoba and Saskatchewan from recent rainfall and have caused delays in swathing, the Canola Council of Canada said in a crop update for the week ended Wednesday (August 26).

 

Rains fell over southern Manitoba during the week with amounts ranging from a half to two inches, although some areas reported more three to five inches in parts of southwest, central and eastern regions, the CCC report said.

 

In eastern Saskatchewan, rainfall was general and a half to three quarters of an inch. In northern Saskatchewan, trace amounts to just under an inch of rain was reported.

 

The CCC report said that any further rain will likely interfere with swathing, which is a week to two weeks from becoming general in most areas.

 

In Alberta, spotty rain fell in central and northern areas with amounts up to half an inch reported. Parts of central and northeastern Alberta received no rainfall, so dry conditions in those areas persist.

 

The risk of an early fall frost and its impact on crop quality continues to be one of the greatest concerns, the CCC said. An additional five to 10 days of hot, dry weather is needed to hasten crop maturity.

 

Most of the canola crop was finished flowering with earliest fields generally having about 20 to 40 percent seed colour change. Swathing was just beginning in the very earliest fields with about 2 to 5 percent of the canola crop swathed to date. Swathing was expected to become more general across the Canadian Prairies in the next week to 10 days.

 

All regions need significant heat and the absence of the first significant fall frost until at least mid to late September, the CCC report said

 

Damage from frost (with temperatures as low as minus-3 degrees Celsius) was reported in the Peace Region of Alberta. Pod formation on the top of plants has been affected and yield will be impacted in select areas, the report said.

 

Up to 80 percent of plants in some fields have suffered extensive damage from the frost, the report said.

 

High numbers of flea beetles have been observed in eastern Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba canola fields.