The almost forgotten canola is being considered by many growers as an early seed, early harvest option.

Regina - Polish canola is receiving renewed attention in 1999 as producers consider their seeding options. "There has been a lot more interest in Polish canola this winter at trade shows, especially with producers South of #1 Highway," says Blaine Dubreuil, Marketing Agronomist with Zeneca Seeds. The main reason appears to be the early maturity of Polish varieties. "Producers are looking to early seed Polish, which increases its yield potential, and then harvest early to capitalize on summer cash market opportunities," Dubreuil added.

"Polish canola is a viable crop in our area," says Owen Cairns from Coronach Saskatchewan. "The key is to early seed Polish which allows it to be done flowering before the summer heat. You can't cut corners on fertility either." Cairns has seeded the Polish variety Hysyn 110 for the past two years with an average yield of 31 bushels per acre in 1998 despite hail damage. "I can straight cut Polish and we were able to harvest the Hysyn a week sooner than with other Polish varieties." He has seeded both Argentine and Polish varieties on his operation. Over a six-year period, the best yields from Argentine varieties were only equal to those from early seeded Polish.

Agronomists agree that Polishi canola has the potential to provide good yield performance when treated the same as Argentina varieties. "I believe there are agronomic practices we apply religiously when growing Argentine canola that we do not always adopt with Polish varieties," says Bill Greuel, Product Development Agronomist with Zeneca Seeds. According to Greuel, these practices include early seeding and an adequate, balanced fertility program,

To the question: "When did you seed your Polish canola?" the answer usually includes the word June in it somewhere. Greuel says that although shorter season Polish varieties provide the option to seed later, Polish canola was never meant to be a wonder crop that allowed producers to beat the crop insurance deadline. Greuel points to research, which shows that early seeding is paramount to a successful Polish canola crop. "Seeding Polish at the same time as Argentine can increase Polish yields to well over 30 bushels per acre when compared to yields in the mid-teens with late seeded Polish," he says.

Greuel points to several benefits of early seeding Polish canola including:
- Increased yield potential
- Ability of Polish canola to finish flowering before the hottest days of summer.
- Ability to straight cut Polish varieties like Hysyn which eliminates one field operation, and reduces the risk of wind losses from leaving swaths in the field.
- The ability to spread harvest workload with early seeded Polish.
- Additional time for post-harvest herbicide applications to control perennial weeds.
- Ability to capitalize on summer cash market opportunities.

The ability to sell straight from the field is worth noting this year given the potential size of the 1999 canola crop and the expected tight supply and demand forecast for this summer. "Early seeded Polish will allow producers to capitalize on summer cash market prices in August and early September," notes Grauel, "with the added benefit of increased yield potential."

Greuel notes that Zeneca Seeds has put together a Polish Canola Management Guide that outlines the key agronomic success factors producers should consider to be successful with Polish canola. The guide also outlines the agronomic and economic benefits to producing Polish canola, He says that producers can receive free copies of this guide by calling Zeneca Seeds at 1-800-661-9000.

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