Assessment of seed shattering resistance and yield loss in five oilseed crops

Abstract

Use of appropriate harvest management can minimize the yield loss of crucifer crops due to seed and pod shattering. This study determined the difference among five canola/mustard species in the degree of resistance to seed shattering and yield losses. Sinapis alba yellow mustard AC Base, Brassica juncea canola Amulet, Brassica juncea mustard Cutlass, Brassica rapa canola Hysyn, and Brassica napus canola InVigor 2663 were grown at Star City, Scott and Swift Current, SK, from 2004 to 2006. Seed yield was highest for napus canola (2146 kg ha-1), followed by juncea mustard (1971 kg ha-1) and juncea and rapa canola, while alba mustard (1547 kg ha-1) was the lowest. Straight combining compared with swathing resulted in 13% greater seed yield for juncea canola and juncea mustard, and 7% greater for rapa canola, while napus canola did not show yield difference between the two operation regimes. Under high shattering conditions, juncea mustard shed about 400 pods m-2, significantly greater than the four other species. Rapa canola had the lowest number of shed pods. Juncea mustard and napus canola had largest yield loss (about 7% of the total seed yield) during straight combining, followed by alba mustard (5%), and rapa and juncea canola (< 4%). Selection of shattering resistant species and use of straight combining can minimize seed yield losses in the production of crucifer oilseed crops. Key words: Brassica napus, Brassica rapa, Brassica juncea, Sinapis alba, swathing, straight–combine