The emergence of biotechnology is making the job of choosing which canola varieties to plant more of a challenge. With more than a hundred canola varieties now available in Western Canada, producers will need to look at several factors during the decision making process. Greuel says that farming has become a big business, and the farmer, just like any other CEO of a large corporation, should make return on shareholder investment the driver in decision making. The best bet is to look at several measurements that relate to the final returns you receive from your crop. These include yield, harvestability, green seed counts, disease resistance and herbicide tolerance.
Yield is the most important variable affecting crop returns.
The key to analyzing yield information with so many varieties on the market is to use locally produced data. In general, some commercially available varieties are likely better suited to a given growing environment than others. It is important to use trial results that reflect the soil types and precipitation patterns present in your own operation. Harvestability is another key factor that should be considered. Harvestability relates to plant characteristics that make some canola varieties easier to swath and combine than others.