The Effects of Potassium and Chloride Nutrition on Seed Yield of Canaryseed
The effects of potassium and chloride nutrition on seed yield of canary seed, was conducted to determine the responsiveness of canary seed to K and Cl- and provide better recommendations to producers on the use of potassium chloride (KCl) in canary seed production. The project had five sites each year for three years of field research.
IPNI-2006-CAN-SK38
06 Mar 2009
2008 Annual Interpretive Summary
The Effects of Potassium and Chloride Nutrition on Seed Yield of Canaryseed in Saskatchewan, 2008
The objectives of this study are to determine the responsiveness of canaryseed seed yield to K and Cl- and provide better recommendations to producers on the use of potassium chloride (KCl) in canaryseed production.
In 2007, five locations were established at Melfort, Stewart Valley, Regina, and two locations south of Indian Head on Vale Farms. In 2008, another location on Indian Head Research Farm was added. Only the Vale farm sites showed strong yield responses to Cl-, but a moderate yield response to Cl- occurred at Regina. The yield components most affected were seeds per square meter and seeds per head, which indicates that the addition of Cl- may prevent seed abortion from occurring. Grain yield was not affected by Cl- or K applications at Melfort or Stewart Valley in 2007. The two sites south of Indian Head had low levels of soil Cl- while the Regina and Stewart Valley sites had moderate levels of Cl-. Using a conventional soil test, the Melfort site and one of the sites south of Indian Head had low levels of K in the soil, while the other site south of Indian head had moderate levels. The other two sites had high levels of K in the soil. Similar results were obtained when soil K supply rates were measured. However, the Stewart Valley site did have a lower K supply rate than would have been suggested by the conventional soil test.
In 2008, both Vale Farm sites had a Cl- response which followed the pattern seen in 2007. One important difference was that the yield response at the Vale farm site occurred when yield conditions were quite good (40 to 50 bu/A). The Melfort site was lost when the site was accidentally sprayed with glyphosate by the land owner. There was no response at the other locations to K or Cl- in 2008. These preliminary results indicate that canaryseed growers need to measure Cl- when doing soil tests. The response to Cl- occurred when the canaryseed was under stress and under high yielding conditions. No response has been observed to K. This research will be conducted for one more growing season. SK-38F