Poor seed quality

Constraint - Poor seed quality

Green seed

Symptoms

• Maximum seed weight and oil content has been reached when seed moisture has declined to 35-40 percent 

• Recommended guidelines to windrow canola are when 40 – 60 percent of seed has changed colour

•  While the seed is green, seed filling is continuing, accumulating seed weight, protein and oil

Damage

• During the last few days leading up to the recommended windrowing time, canola can increase in yield by 100 kg/ha per day and oil content by between 0.3% and 0.6% per day

• Timing of harvest is critical to avoid yield loss

• Recieval standards may penalise seed lots with more than 30 mg/kg of chlorophyll, or reject them entirely

Management

Close monitoring of canola and the ability to harvest within the optimum timeframe are crucial to ensuring the best possible yield result.

Links and Resources

AOF - Chlorophyll in Australian canola 4 page PDF. A paper on the occurrence of green seed in Australia, including prevalence and cause of green oil producing canola.

GRDC - Best Practice Management Guide. Green seed Page 89. Discusses yield penalties for green seed. Published 2009.

GRDC - Retained seed Fact Sheet 4 page PDF. Key points, wet seed at harvest, harvest, storage, sowing, seed testing, and frequently asked questions. Published 2011.

GRDC. Canola, timing of windrowing