Canola Brassica napus

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CanolaBrassica napus Brassica rapa

• History
• Canola is an edible type of rapeseed
• Rapeseed history
• Sighted in Indian literature in 1500 BC
• Found in archeological sights in China from 2300
  BC
• Oldest seeds may date back to 5000 BC
• Used for 100s of years as lamp oil in Asia and
  Europe
• Use increased in WWII as a lubricant for steam
  engines

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CanolaBrassica napus Brassica rapa

• History
• After WWII alternative markets were researched
• Rapeseed had limited use as food oil
• Green color
• Sharp taste
• High acid content
• Canadian researchers developed low acid varieties
  in 1978 (less than 2 erucic acid)
• Canadian Oil, Low Acid Canola
• Both spring and winter varieties of each type

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CanolaBrassica napus Brassica
rapaIdentification

• Moderately branched annual
• Main plant 1-3 tall

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CanolaBrassica napus Brassica
rapaIdentification

• Slightly lobed broad leaves

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CanolaBrassica napus Brassica
rapaIdentification

• Flowers
• Prolific
• Yellow
• Four petals

• Fruit
• Small
• Pea like pod
• Numerous small seeds

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CanolaBrassica napus Brassica rapaProperties

• Seeds are about 40 oil
• Brassica napus (Argentine type)
• 1-2 higher oil, longer growing season
• Brassica rapa (Polish type) smaller
• Lower yielding, shorter growing season
• Low in saturated fats and high in monounsaturated
  fat

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CanolaBrassica napus Brassica rapaUses

• Food grade oil
• Second largest amount of food oil
• Biodiesel
• Cold flow point below soy biodiesel
• Lubricant
• Base in paint and lubricants

• High acid oil
• Industrial lubricant
• Biodiesel
• Meal from oil extraction
• Livestock feed
• 38 CP
• Similar to
• Soybean
• meal

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CanolaBrassica napus Brassica rapaProduction

• Annual that requires 90-85 days
• Argentine and Polish varieties respectively
• Both spring and winter varieties
• Winter canola has not consistently survived MT
  and ND winters
• More winter hardy varieties are being developed
• Seeded in fall, become established in the fall
  and become dormant until March or April
• Spring canola most common in colder climates
• Very water dependant

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CanolaBrassica napus Brassica rapaProduction
seed preparation

• Planted late April or early May
• Soil temp of 50 or warmer
• Early seeding reduces heat damage to flowers
• Seeded at ½-1 depth
• Moist seed bed is needed
• Seeding rate
• Argentine 5-8lbs/ acre
• Polish 5-7 lbs/acre (smaller seeds)

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CanolaBrassica napus Brassica rapaProduction
risk management

• Heavy nitrogen user and generally requires
  fertilization
• Young plants not very weed competitive
• Cultivation and herbicides approved
• 2 year minimum rotation for disease and insect
  control
• Products licensed for disease and insect control

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CanolaBrassica napus Brassica rapaProduction
Harvest

• All types of combines can be used
• Two methods
• Swathing
• Seed moisture of 30-35
• Reduces loss to frost
• Direct combining
• Seed moisture below 10
• Lower harvest loss