DESPITE a 'chequered history' in Queensland, there's renewed interest in the latest canola varieties, which are poised to reap fresh grower interest.
The issue surfaced at a recent field walk at the Dalby Agricultural trial site where Conservation Farmers spokesman Mike Burgis conceded producers had trialled the crop some 20 years ago, prompting comments like "it's a waste of time" since the results generally proved unsatisfactory.
"But as our weather patterns change, maybe we should be looking to find something that fits when the rain does fall," he said. "Maybe canola is an alternative - even mustard varieties - with possible, but limited crushing capabilities locally at CSD's Toowoomba facility and the local birdseed market."
That aside, there was a useful roll-up at the trial site which returned low nematode numbers after lying fallow in the aftermath of a 2008 cotton crop. Some 40kg of Supreme Z fertiliser was applied to the trial site ahead of planting with a disc planter used to sow juncea and canola to a depth of 25mm in early May.
The varieties in the spotlight, Oasis and Sahara CL, as well as Hurricane TT canola, were sown at a rate of 3kg/ha.
CFI's Mike Burgis said despite a patchy strike in some places, the canola and mustard "came away nicely" with 47.6ml of rain in June, pooling only for a short time on a trial site that had no stubble cover.
Subsequently, a weed management program saw the canola and mustard trial site sprayed by a quad-bike fitted with a 6m boom, applying Nutrazine to the TT canola at 1.1kg/ha, plus one percent of Hasten, as well as Intervix at 600mL/ha, plus 1pc of Hasten to the CL mustard variety.
It was left to Pacific Seeds' crop business manager Ben Adams to give a quick overview on the two junceas, noting that modern varieties could deliver canola grade oil to enhance their appeal.
"The difference with the junceas is that they are a lot more drought tolerant," he said.
"They don't yield as well (as canola) but they certainly are a lot more stable in a very dry environment," he said.
Underscoring the "chequered past" of traditional canolas, Mr Adams made the point that junceas "may have a better fit" for those growers contemplating the latest varieties.
Meanwhile, he drew attention to the company's Sahara Clearfield variety which was tolerant to herbicides like On-Duty and Intervix, thereby opening up the prospect of higher yields by eliminating competition from weeds.
Likewise, the attributes of another early maturing variety, namely Hurricane TT, and its ability to offer reasonable protection against Blackleg, will prove of interest to potential growers.
Pacific Seeds believes its Clearfield variety, juncea canola Sahara CL, is poised to lift the production of canola oil in Australia, garnering interest in a break crop that is able to offer tangible economic benefits in low rainfall cropping regions.
The company underscores other advantages associated with growing canola, principally in reducing root lesion nematiodes, crown rot, take-all and rhizoctonia. All this translates to growing better cereals in the following year, according to Mr Adams.
"The general figure floated around is of a yield increase in the following wheat crop of about 15pc," he said. "But canolas and junceas have to be watched in frosts, as well as tough, hot finishes, as well as tough, hot times at flowering."
CFI's Mike Burgis also conceded that growers may be worried about vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae (VAM) levels after growing canola. This is a reference to the beneficial natural associations in cropping systems between crop roots and soil fungi.
Researchers say VAM has the potential to improve growth and yield of most grain, oilseed, pulse and fibre crops, mainly by improving the uptake of nutrients, particularly P and Zn.
"Although the QPIF are worried about VAM, I think we can manage it," he said.
The take-home message for growers was to seek out quick-maturing varieties - a thought echoed by Dalby CGS agronomist Rob Evans who has grown canola for many years.
"My experiences from the Liverpool Plains would be fairly pertinent here, too," he said.
"We would never let a crop be standing at this sort of maturity, windrowing it, to limit it shattering out if the wind gets up."
Mr Evans also made the point he had "great success with barley" following canola, principally because of the depletion of VAM.
Felton district producer Paul Fuhlbohm is already growing canola on a commercial basis, achieving $575/t for the bird seed market last year on the back of 2t/ha yields.
"I'm very happy with the results," he said, adding that this year's crop would not be far behind.
Mr Fuhlbohm set himself a five-year plan to assess whether growing canola was a viable alternative to cereals.
He drew attention to the emergence of new crop varieties.
"It all comes down to the numbers - having something you can grow that fits in with your program or is a useful part of your program - to allow us to make a few dollars out of it."
Conceding it could be a difficult crop to establish, due to the small-sized nature of canola seeds, he said that once in the ground and with a reasonable amount of soil moisture, it was "quite easy" to control weeds.
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