Effect of heat stress on canola yield and quality

Abstract

Key findings • Heat stress during the reproductive development phase significantly reduced grain yield, harvest index and oil percentage. • Varieties respond differently to heat stress: Nuseed Diamond had the highest reduction in grain yield and oil percentage under heat stress, whereas ATR Stingray[PBR] had the lowest reduction in grain yield. • Under heat stress, seed formation is more severely affected than pod formation. • Canola pods that appear healthy can produce less, or even no, seed, and therefore do not achieve yield potential under heat stress.