The Effect of Potassium and Sulfur on the Yield Variability of Canaryseed

Evaluate K and S additions on the yield and quality of Canary Seed production at five locations in Saskatchewan, Canada.

IPNI-2000-CAN-SK27

14 May 2001

2000 Annual Interpretive Summary

The Effect of Potassium and Sulfur on the Yield Variability of Canaryseed, 2000

The biggest production problem faced by farmers growing canaryseed is the year-to-year variability in seed yield. The cause of this fluctuation in yield is not known. One aspect that has not been addressed is the effect of K and S on yield. An experiment was designed to evaluate K and S additions at five locations in Saskatchewan.

The results from the first year of this two-year project were mixed. Canaryseed yield increased as K rate was increased at two locations, while at two other locations, the 15 lb/A rate lowered yield and the 30 lb/A rate increased yield relative to the unfertilized check. Only at one of the trial locations did yield not respond to K fertilizer. The addition of S fertilizer decreased yield at one location and increased yield at another, while no response was recorded at the remaining three test locations. While these results are preliminary, there appears to be some evidence that K may have an effect on the yield of canaryseed. SK-27F