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
15 Feb 2010
2009 Annual Interpretive Summary
Effects of Potassium and Chloride Nutrition on Seed Yield of Canaryseed, 2009
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 in Saskatchewan at Melfort, Stewart Valley, Regina, and two locations near Indian Head on Vale Farms. In 2008, another location on the Indian Head Research Farm was added. Only the Vale farm sites showed strong yield responses in 2007 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. In 2008, only the Vale Farm sites had a Cl- response. 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). These preliminary results indicate that canaryseed growers need to measure Cl- when doing soil tests. The response to Cl- occurred when the crop was either under stress or under high yielding conditions.
The work was repeated in 2009 with strong Cl- response at the farm site near Indian Head, and varied response at Stewart Valley and Regina. This research confirms that canaryseed responds to Cl- and that the positive effect is observed through improved seed fill and seed yield. There can be sites that respond to Cl-, but not to K, and other sites can respond to both Cl- and K. Both responses can be predicted quite well by testing soils for plant available Cl- and K. The final project report will be completed in early 2010 after grain sample quality tests are complete. SK-38F