Optimising growth and avoiding stress to canola through sowing date, variety choice and nitrogen management

Abstract

Key findings •• Highest yields were obtained when flowering started in early to mid-August. Treatments that flowered in July were affected by frost and treatments that flowered in September were affected by heat and drought. •• The strongest yield response to nitrogen was on treatments that flowered in early to mid-August. •• Hybrids tended to recover better from frost damage than open-pollinated (OP) triazine tolerant (TT) varieties, but flowering date and nitrogen management were more important to maximise yield potential than variety type. •• The highest oil concentration was obtained from varieties that flowered in early to mid-August.