Canola & Nutrient

Deficiencies

Rob Norton, IPNI Regional Director ANZ

Nutrition Forum, BCG Expo, July 2011.

Acknowledged Sources, References and

further information

• McCaffrey D, T Potter, S Marcroft, F Pritchard (Eds) (2009). Canola best

practice management guide for southeastern Australia. GRDC.

http://www.grdc.com.au/uploads/documents/GRDC_Canola_Guide_All_1308091.pdf

• Scott S, P Watson(2006) Recognising herbicide residue and drift injury in

canola. Canola Council of Canada.

https://canola-council.merchantsecure.com/canola_resources/product13.aspx

• Hocking P, RM Norton, A Good (1999). “Canola nutrition.”, In Canola in

Australia – the first thirty years. (Eds PA Salisbury, TD Potter, G McDonald,

AG Green). (Organising Committee for the Tenth International Rapeseed

Congress, Canberra). p. 15-22.

http://www.australianoilseeds.com/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/2704/Chapter_4_-

_Canola_Nutrition.pdf

• Canola Council of Canada (nd) Chapter 9 – Soil fertility, Canola growers

manual.

http://www.canolacouncil.org/contents9.aspx

• Bowden W. (nd) Windrow effects highlight the need for potassium

fertilization.

http://www.potash-info.com/research/researchprojects/Documents/WAWindrows.pdf

Diagnosing nutrient deficiencies

• Nutrient mobility

• Determines if seen in

older or younger

leaves

• Symptoms in older

leaves occur with

mobile nutrients (eg

Nitrogen)

• Symptoms in younger

leaves occur with less

mobile nutrients (eg

Sulphur )

Classic view of N

deficiency

If your crop looks

like this – and there

is rain coming

- then you need to

do some very quick

thinking

S Marcroft, MGP

P Hocking, CSIRO

N response by canola

R Norton, IPNI

Phosphorus

P Hocking, CSIRO

Sulphur

• First seen in NSW at

Lockhart.

• Soils naturally low in S.

• Reduced use of single

super.

• High demand for S by

canola.

• Typically on

– Red Brown Earths

– Leached sands,

– Higher rainfall

T Jensen IPNI

A Good, Incitec Pivot

Sulphur

H Burns, NSW DPI

T Jensen, IPNI

"You guys pair up in groups of

three, then line up in a circle."

Barry Hall, then Sydney Captain at

training

A Johnson IPNI

Calcium deficiency

P Salisbury, Uni of Melbourne

Collapse of youngest stem carrying

flowers.

Most often on low pH soils.

Wetting/drying affects Ca availability.

Mg can be deficient early, most cases

corrects itself with access to subsoil

Mg (NSW information).SU interaction?

D McCaffery, NSW DPIKondinin Group

Potassium deficiency

A Johnston IPNI

A Johnston IPNI

Uncommon in Wimmera & Mallee

• general levels >500 kg K/ha in our soils.

Has been seen on light acid soils

Hay paddocks = much removal

K deficiency on light sands (WA)

2.0 t/ha

0.1 t/ha1.9 t/ha

1.0 t/ha

B Bowden, WADA

Trace Elements

• Both deficiencies and toxicities

• Soil pH a key

• Drought (restricts roots)

• Waterlogging (changes chemical

forms)

• Interactions among nutrients

Deficiencies Mn B Mo Zn

Wet cold soil

Light soils

High pH

Low pH

Peaty soils

Drought

o

*

*

*

*

Boron Deficiency/Toxicity

P Parker NSW DPI

Toxic

Deficient

Zinc & Copper

Classic high pH deficiency

Also under high P use

Bronzing of upper surface of

younger leaves

Canola relatively more

efficient than wheat at getting

soil zinc (Brennan and Bolland 2002)

No confirmed Cu deficiency

for canola reported –

probably able to access Cu

efficiently as well.

B Holloway SARDI

Aluminium toxicity

• Patchy crops

• Low pH soils

• Poorly buffered

soils

• High levels of

exchangeable

Al.

Canola Council of Canada

R Colton NSW DPI

Manganese Toxicity

• Manganese toxicity

• pH < 5.5

• Seasonal waterlogging

• Soils with reducible MnD McCaffery NSW DPI

If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck,

it probably is a duck?

Aphid damage

Earthmite damage

Cold damage

Alternaria

disease

P Umina Uni of Melbourne

L Turton NSW DPI

R Colton NSW DPI

Canola Council of Canada

Herbicide damage

(see www.canola-council.org)

SU damage (Sulfosulfuron)

Glean damage

imi- damage

Canola Council of Canada

Canola Council of Canada

Canola Council of Canada

Canola Council of Canada