Nearly all canola grown in the U.S. is B. napus. This difference can be even more pronounced in areas similar to the Great Plains, where high temperatures in the early summer are common. Winter canola is planted in late summer. The plants need to reach the 6 to 8 true-leaf stage and about 8 to 10 inches in height before freeze down to increase winter survival. Plants overwinter as rosettes and bolt early the next spring.
Harvest takes place about the same time as winter wheat harvest in a given area.
Canola research began in the Great Plains in the late 1980's. Industrial rapeseed had been investigated prior to this, but because of the limited demand for this product, interest was low. Canola production was attempted in the late 1980's but was not successful. The lack of success was primarily due to the lack of adapted varieties, the lack of management recommendations for the area, and the lack of a local market for the crop. In 1992, a canola breeding project was established at Kansas State University to determine the potential of developing canola varieties that are adapted to the Great Plains region.