Agricultural News
Canola Farmers Expect to Harvest a Fair Crop this Year, No Thanks to the Weather or Insects
Thu, 13 Apr 2017 16:26:17 CDT
Across Oklahoma, the blooming stage of this year's canola crop is in full swing. As producers prepare to get harvest underway in roughly a month's time, Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays invited Dr. Ron Sholar of the Great Plains Canola Association to visit him in studio for an update on crop conditions and his expectations for yield performance. To hear their entire conversation about this year's crop conditions plus the benefits canola has to compliment wheat production, click or tap the LISTEN BAR below at the bottom of this story.
According to Sholar, this crop started like others from the last three years, under good conditions. But then he said the winter weather proved uncooperative for farmers, holding back much needed moisture from which crops apparently suffered losses. Then spring came and brought with it early warm temperatures, causing the canola to bloom early, which caused concern among growers. Since then, though, the rains finally showed up and Sholar says it has turned things around.
"A lot of good has occurred from this for the canola and the wheat of course," he said. "We are rounding the bend. Fields look good. The crop does not have the height or volume that we have seen in previous years, but the moisture is super beneficial."
While the rains have helped the plants reestablish, Sholar says we were not able to recover as much yield potential as we could have if the rains had come earlier than they did. As an indeterminate plant though, the canola still has the opportunity to continue adding to its yield potential up until the point of harvest. Sholar says they are adding to that every day now, but insists more rain and cooler temperatures would certainly help improve the situation. At this point though, despite harsh weather conditions and relatively high insect populations, Sholar expects this year's harvest will yield average results.
"We're not talking about bin-busting yields this year, but some that growers are going to be proud of," he remarked. "We do have good surface moisture now and some subsurface moisture as a result of the good rain, but we will need some more. The crop I would say looks like an average crop at this point."
If you are a canola farmer or are interested in becoming one, Sholar reminds audiences that in just a matter of days, Oklahoma State University will be hosting a dozen different canola crop tours around the state. He invites those interested to make plans to attend for a chance to talk to their neighbors that grow canola and ask questions from the experts. For details including dates and locations, visit the calendar page on our website, by clicking here.
Dr. Sholar will join Radio Oklahoma Ag Network Farm Director Ron Hays for his weekly In the Field segment on KWTV News9 in the Oklahoma City area on Saturday morning at 6:40 a.m.
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