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Mustard Crop Establishment
By Bill Greuel, Provincial Specialist - Oilseeds
and Transgenic Crops, Saskatchewan Agriculture, Food and Rural
Revitalization
I read somewhere that the majority of crop yield
is determined within the first 25 days after emergence. I am not
sure if that's true. But what I do know is that if everything
goes right in the first 25 days, you have a much better chance
of achieving above average yield. Sounds logical - I didn't need
to write an article to tell you that. But, let's consider some
of the decisions you need to make before your crop is 25 days
old: where, how much, how deep, how much fertilizer, seed source
and pest control. The decisions add up. Effective crop production
will carefully consider all of them.
Crop Rotation
Before you do anything else, you need to decide where to seed
mustard. Most of us like to think that we follow a sound crop
rotation. But given mustard acreage swings over the last number
of years, we know that's not true. Crop rotation can affect many
aspects of production including disease pressure, admixtures and
available moisture. In Saskatchewan, mustard has not suffered
much disease pressure, largely due to the dryer areas where it
is grown. If you are going to push rotations with other broadleaved
crops, keep an eye on the seedling disease complex and sclerotinia.
Registered seed treatment can control the seedling disease complex.
There are not registered fungicides for in-crop sclerotinia control.
A very important factor in mustard production is admixtures of
weed seeds and other volunteer crops, especially wild mustard,
cow cockle and canola. Number One Canada mustard requires less
than 0.1 per cent of each of these weeds. The best management
strategy is to control them in the crops leading up to mustard.
Moisture management is also important in mustard production. A
sound crop rotation will consider trash cover as it relates to
snow trapping and the relative rooting depth of other crops in
the rotation.
Seed Source
Once you know where, you need to consider what. Seed source is
going to be increasingly important over the next few years. A
reality of mustard production is that our export markets, mainly
Japan and Europe, are increasingly concerned about quality related
aspects like GMO contamination. One of the most effective methods
to mitigate that risk is to know that your seed source is not
contaminated. Ask your seed supplier questions regarding seed
production, whether or not they have tested the seed and who is
liable if a problem arises. Other aspects of seed source worth
addressing are germination and vigour. Researchers have examined
canola extensively in this area. Some of their most applicable
findings are to choose seed that has a high level of germination
(over 90 per cent) in 5 days and choose large seed. Large seed
has higher rates of early season growth and can better withstand
most stresses.
Seeding Date, Rate and
Depth
Now that we have thought about what and where, we need to consider
some mechanics. Not every spring allows for early seeding. If
possible, seed mustard early. Research data presented at the Saskatchewan
Mustard Development Commission's annual general meeting in January
illustrates the point very clearly:
Seeding rates of
yellow mustard should fall somewhere between 7 and 10 lbs / ac,
whereas brown and oriental should be between 4 and 6 lbs / ac.
I do not advocate cutting the seeding rate of mustard as canola
producers have done over the last few years. They have been able
to do this because of herbicide tolerance and in some respects,
because of high seed costs. The correct seeding rate in mustard
can help ensure a uniform plant stand, which can affect everything
from the timing of herbicide applications to maturity. Seeding
depth should be as close to one inch as possible. This sounds
straightforward enough, but depends heavily on the uniformity
of the seedbed which we have struggled with since the introduction
of minimum and zero tillage.
Seed Placed Fertilizer
I cannot stress enough the benefi ts of effective soil testing
as the gauge for your fertility program. Another important factor
is the amount of seed placed fertilizer. As a general rule of
thumb, don't place more than 10 lbs / ac actual N with mustard
seed. You will need to spend more time thinking about this, considering
your opener, seedbed utilization, soil moisture conditions and
the particular fertilizer blend you are using. I cannot address
all the scenarios here, so consult the Farm Facts publication,
'Guidelines for safe rates of fertilizer applied with the seed'
at www.agrgov.sk.ca, follow the links through: Home | Crops |
Soil Fertility/ Fertilizers. (Click
here for direct link).
Pest Control
We tend to focus most of our 'pest control time' on weeds. They
are visible, they have commanded the lion's share of agronomic
research and are subject to various control methods. New seed
treatments offer protection for the seedling disease complex and
flea beetles. Talk to your seed supplier about new seed treatment
options. Although mustard, depending on the type, may offer better
resistance to some pests versus canola, it is still susceptible
to the seedling disease complex and to varying degrees of flea
beetles as well.
Mustard production, like any crop, starts well
before the seed goes into ground and the decisions you make in
the first few weeks are critical to its ultimate success. A well
thought out crop rotation, good seed, adequate plant nutrition
and some good agronomic practices are essential. Make the first
25 days count; it could make all the difference in the end.
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