Dirk Lesch of the farm Elim, just outside Malmesbury, recently won the 2007 Swartland Canola Competition with a yield of 2,32t/ha. He attributed his success to the fact that he doesn’t plant canola merely to add a crop into his rotation plan. “Some farmers neglect canola, but I treat it as would wheat or any other crop,” he explained.
Sakkie Slabbert, coordinator of the competition, said climate and weed control were the main factors affecting yields this year. This year’s average yield was 1,58t/ha, which is 0,19t/ha more than the 2006 average of 1,39t/ha. was also the highest yield average achieved in the competition to date. labbert attributed the higher yields to better climatic conditions than in 2006, such as higher rainfall and rain dispersal. Producers were also able to plant earlier due to the early rains in April. A s for weed control, producers who applied atrazine and trifluralin had an average yield of 1,71t/ha in comparison to the group’s average of 1,58t/ha.
Canola yields in the southern part of the Swartland (Malmesbury to Koeberg) were only 41% of the wheat yield. Wheat was 0,3t/ha higher than in previous years. Sakkie feels this shows wheat benefited more from the good climatic conditions than canola. n the northern Swartland (Moorreesburg to Piketberg), canola yields equalled 49% of the wheat yields, whereas it equalled only 42% the previous year. Canola’s yield over the Swartland whole was around 45% of the wheat yield. This trend was also seen last year and Slabbert believes it implies canola has reached its full potential in the area. H e said it’s difficult to come to definite conclusions about production, as only 12 producers entered the competition and 11 completed it, and some trends were observed that need further investigation.
It seemed that participants who applied 31% to 40% nitrogen during planting achieved the highest yields. was also observed during the previous two years. It was evident producers shouldn’t use under 25% nitrogen during planting, as this will compromise the vitality of the young plants. T his year, the best results were attained when farmers applied between 61kg/ha and 80kg/ha of nitrogen. Sakkie pointed out that last year the best results were attained with 80kg/ha to 100kg/ha nitrogen. s in 2005 and 2006, producers who planted had higher yields than those who sowed. Sakkie thinks this could be because new-generation planters are more effective. Using a planter results in seeds germinating more quickly into strong plants. But he said other variables could also be responsible. – Glenneis Erasmus
