How is canola harvested

Proper harvest management in terms of selecting the proper maturity stage for swathing and combining are very important. As a canola crop nears maturity, it may ripen very quickly. Selecting the correct time to swath and combine canola demands more observations and care than it does for small grains. Swathing canola at the optimum stage of ripening reduces green seed problems and seed shatter losses and ensures the quality required for top grades and prices.

Inspect fields every two to three days when some color change occurs in the first formed pods on the bottom of the main stem. To determine when a field of canola is ready to swath Figure 1 , examine plants from different parts of the field. The stage of maturity in an evenly maturing field will vary from plant to plant and area to area in the field.

When examining the plants, take into account varying soil types, low-lying areas, available soil moisture and exposed early ripening areas. Examine only those pods on the main stem Figure 2.

Seeds in pods on the bottom third of the main stem were formed earlier and will turn color much sooner than seeds in the pods on the top third of the plant. Seeds with only small patches of color should be counted as color changed. Remember, the color of the seed is more important than the overall color of the field in determining the stage of maturity Figures 3 to 6. Most of the seeds that have changed color will be from the bottom third of the stem. When seeds in the bottom pods slightly turn color, seeds in the top, last-formed pods are filled or nearly filled.

At this time, most of the seeds will be firm and roll, as opposed to break, when pressed between the forefinger and thumb. Swathing early can be beneficial if a hard fall frost is expected. Frost fixes the chlorophyll or green color in immature seed, making it difficult to remove during processing. Fall frosts rarely freeze to ground level. A swathed crop will not only lie below the coldest night temperatures, but much of the seed will benefit from the insulating properties of the swath and residual soil heat, preventing or reducing frost-fixed chlorophyll.

Studies in North Dakota and Minnesota have been conducted to show the relationship of seed color change at swathing time to yield, seed size, green seed and percent of oil Table 1. This management practice will help ensure maximum yield potential, acceptable green seed content and percent of oil. The early start is particularly important when large acreage of one canola hybrid is involved or all of the crop was seeded during a short period of time. Another sign of canola being very near the swathing stage is the natural yellowing and senescence of leaves and leaf drop.

When canola plants consist only of stems, stem branches and pods, the crop is probably very near the optimum time for swathing. Canola is harvested with the same swather and combine equipment as cereal grains, although the crops are quite different.

Canola is tall and branchy, with thick spongy stems. However, with a few basic adjustments to most modern swathers, a good windrow of canola can be formed. The swather should be run just low enough to get all the seed pods, leaving the maximum amount of stubble in which to anchor the windrow and ensure adequate air circulation through the windrow.

Most stubble height varies from 10 to 12 inches in canola fields after swathing. This allows good anchoring of the windrow and drying Figure 7. To keep the swather moving forward without bunching, a few low pods may have to be missed. Such windrows tend to settle into the stubble and escape wind damage. This also minimizes the amount of material that must be handled by the swather and combine.

Additional material only will delay the drying process. The average crop of canola is handled quite readily with most swathers. However, stands that are exceptionally tall 4 to 5 feet , thick, or lodged and tangled make laying an unbunched windrow difficult. The windrow must flow smoothly through the swather without bunching.

Bunching leads to uneven drying and combine plugging. Therefore, a good swather must have enough depth of table 40 inches to handle the crop material.

It also should have a large throat opening. The opening should be at least as wide 40 to 54 inches as the distance between the two swather canvasses on center delivery swathers.

It should have a vertical clearance for the windrow of at least 30 to 40 inches. The throat opening should be free of projections that may catch and bunch the windrow as it passes through the machine. A large throat opening is important, particularly for wider swathers, to ensure the swath will be of a size and shape that will dry and cure properly. The table canvas should be strong enough to carry the heavy load of cut material and should be run just fast enough to keep the table clean.

If possible, the canvas speed should be varied depending on the maturity of the crop cut. A fast canvas tends to produce a hollow, twisted windrow; a slower canvas produces a more compact windrow, but it may bunch and sit high on the stubble.

Increase the canvas speed until the windrow is pressed into the stubble. The reel should be set as high and far forward as possible. The reel speed should be set to correspond with the forward speed of the swather. This speed will just lay the cut material gently back on the table to avoid shelling. The ratio of tip speed of the reel bat in feet per minute divided by the ground speed of the swather in feet per minute should be a maximum of 1 to 1.

Finger reels work best in canola to help bring the material back onto the table and gently handle the ripened canola. For a lodged or leaning canola crop, finger reels are highly recommended for ease of swathing. Ordinary end dividers that are long and gently sloping generally are less prone to plugging than short, abrupt types. In lodged or tangled canola, the divider tip must split the crop low in the stem area and then lift and separate the crop as the swather moves forward.

For more information, refer to: Diagnosing blackleg in canola. Sclerotinia stem rot is a fungal disease of canola. Disease development can be unpredictable because seasonal conditions plays a major role with rainy conditions during flowering on the main stem a major contributing factor. Rotation, tillage and fungicides are currently the best strategies for managing sclerotinia stem rot in canola. For more information, refer to Managing sclerotinia stem rot in canola and Diagnosing sclerotinia in canola.

A number of other fungal and viral diseases can occur in canola crops. These include powdery mildew, downy mildew , white leaf spot , alternaria black spot , clubroot , turnip mosaic virus , cauliflower mosaic virus and beet western yellow virus.

Direct harvesting and swathing windrowing are both widely used techniques for harvesting canola crops. Swathing ensures all pods are mature at harvest and, done correctly can minimise harvest losses due to pod shatter. Direct harvesting is becoming more common with the availability of low shatter canola varieties, particularly in low and medium rainfall areas.

A chemical dessicant is generally applied prior to harvest to reduce moisture content and control any surviving weeds. The Tactical Break Crop Agronomy Project supported by the Grains Research and Development Corporation supported has been investigating canola agronomy since with project details and research trial information. Canola essentials - growing a successful canola crop.

Page last updated: Friday, 1 November - pm. Please note: This content may be out of date and is currently under review. Canola crop. Contact information Mark Seymour. Email Mark Seymour. Email Martin Harries. Jackie Bucat. Email Jackie Bucat. Andrew Blake. Email Andrew Blake. Author Andrew Blake. See Also Tactical break crop agronomy project: canola and pulse agronomy trials and information.

Most can be setup from the cab by crop. Cylinder speed should be slow. Reduce Shatter Loass by Combining: A ripe crop at higher seed moisture levels and drying the seed. In the cooler part of the day. At night when pods are damp from dew. At night during periods of very hot weather. Average seed losses in the field can range from 0. Canola can be harvested when too damp to harvest wheat. Winter Canola - Swathing Setup It is critical that the plant be at the proper stage of maturity.

The swath is placed on stubble for approx. Typically canola producers can swath and pick up canola before wheat is ready to harvest. Under moderate windy conditions there is less shatter loss when canola is in a windrow compared to ripe canola left standing. Walk out and sample 5 to 10 plants.

Most of the seeds in the top pods will be firm, and roll, as opposed to break or crush, when pressed between the forefinger and thumb. Using the seed color change chart take note on the percentage of the plants.

Examine only pods on the main stem. Seeds in pods on the bottom third of the main stem mature first. Only seeds with small patches of color spotting should be counted as color change. After assessing the main stem, look at the seed from the pods on the side branches to ensure that they are firm with no translucency, especially with low plant populations. Once sampled average out the percent seed color change for that filed.

Continue inspections every 3 to 4 days to monitor color change in the first formed pods on the bottom of the main stem. Key to curing crop is moisture. The enzyme responsible for clearing the chlorophyll requires moisture.

Curing will take approx. The color of the seed is a good indicator of seed moisture content. When conditions are hot and dry, swathing is not recommended. Swathing during the cool evening hours, at night, or early morning will allow the plant to dry down at a slower rate. Lowering the chance of green seed and poor oil content. Tips on Combining Combine table should be set low when first starting out. Leave reel positioned up and away from the table to prevent shattering As crop begins flowing into the combine, begin to raise the table and lower the reel.

Don't use too much reel on the crop.