The premise behind why a healthy stand is important when combating flea beetles in canola is simple. The lower the number of flea beetles per plant, the less likely they are to harm more than 25 percent of the total leaf area.
In dry conditions, applying too much fertilizer to seed can damage plant establishment and allow flea beetles to become dominant, explains Keith Gabbert, agronomy specialist with the Canadian Canola Council, He joined us for an episode of Canola School that focused on sowing seeds.
“The best defense against flea beetles is to get enough seeds in the ground, to establish a suitable stock, and to allow that stock to grow vigorously and get past the stages where a flea beetle problem might occur.” he says.
The Canola Council recommends planting 5 to 8 plants per square foot, but the next goal is to have those plants produce 3 to 4 leaves by 3 to 4 weeks after sowing. That’s true, Gabert points out.
Seed-placed fertilizers are more likely to spend more time in contact with the seeds during dry spring conditions. “The only standard recommendation is to put a seed-safe rate of phosphorus fertilizer in the furrow, but in dry years it becomes very important,” he says.
As a test, he recommends stopping fertilizer in the drill in a short section of the field and comparing that area to the rest of the field within a few weeks.
Check out this episode of Canola School to learn more about how to get a great canola stand as your seeding journey begins.
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