Canola Digest, January 2013 - SaskCanola

THE EDITOR’S DESK
INPUTS, BUGS
AND TWITTER
By Debbie Belanger
4
Canada’s average canola yields for
2012 were 27.7 bushels per acre, down
19.2 percent from 2011. That’s according
to Statistics Canada’s November 2012
report. It’s pretty disappointing. That’s
why Canola Council of Canada (CCC)
agronomists put their heads together
with other experts to come up with the
“Top Yield Robbers of 2012”. What were
the top four and what can we learn
from them? Check out the “Diagnostic
Dilemmas” article on page 25.
Actually, this edition of Canola Digest
is packed with some of the latest
research and information on canola
agronomy. For instance, Canola Watch
editor Jay Whetter offers a fascinating
look at the top canola growing regions
in each Prairie province, and how
growers in these regions have learned
to push their land to reach its potential.
As CCC agronomist Greg Sekulic says in
the article “Pushing Yields” (page 16),
“We hope to see all growers optimize
the yield potential their land provides.”
Recent research is shedding new light
on the effect of adding and removing
inputs to both empty and full input
systems. In the article “How Do Inputs
Add Up?” on page 13 read about the
findings of this four year canola-barley
cropping sequence study, and how this
could apply to your operation.
This edition is packed with some of the latest
research and information on canola agronomy.
Another enlightening article, on page 6,
explains how beneficial insects can put
the bite on crop pests. While there can
be a lag time before beneficial populations
rise enough to control insect pests,
this article points out the advantages of
encouraging and preserving beneficial
insect populations.
Do you tweet? Not about what you’re
having for lunch, but about things like
getting pests identified or asking
agronomy questions pertinent to your
farm. In our farmer panel this month
(page 20) five growers discuss why they
jumped on Twitter. As Taylor Snyder
from Glendon, Alberta says, “Advanced
growers, the ones pushing technology in
the field to get top-end yields, are also
on Twitter. Twitter gives me a chance
to communicate with these growers.”
On a related topic, guest contributor
Shaun Haney offers his top picks for the
best apps built specifically for farmers in
Western Canada. Check his suggestions
in “Information at Your Fingertips”
on page 34.
I hope you enjoy this edition of Digest.
Happy reading and all the best in 2013! •
Letters and comments
are welcome:
editor@canoladigest.ca
For the second year in a row, Canola
Digest took top honours in the magazine
category at the Canadian Agri-Marketing
Association awards gala, held in
Saskatoon in November 2012.