Canola in bloom in Morinville, Alberta, in July 2025. Photo: Zak McLachlan

Lower canola seeding rates can pay off: study

Canola seeding trials in Saskatchewan net interesting results under various conditions dealing in emergence efficiency

Research shows lower canola seeding rates improve emergence and root systems, boosting yields in dry years while cutting input costs.



lodged wheat crop, west of Edmonton, 2025. Ieuan Evans photo

Cereal lodging isn’t just a nitrogen problem

Lack of copper in the soil can also lead wheat crops to lodge during wet seasons on the Canadian Prairies

Lack of copper in the soil can also lead wheat and other cereal crops to lodge during wet seasons on the Canadian Prairies.



Wheat

The global quest for non-legume nitrogen fixing

Nitrogen-fixing cereals? California researchers grew wheat that fixed its own nitrogen, but commercialized seed production is a long ways away

Nitrogen-fixing cereals? California researchers grew wheat that fixed its own nitrogen, but commercialized seed production is a long ways away

Seed and fertilizer goes into the ground during spring planting operations in Western Canada.

No fertilizer price relief expected for this year

Turmoil in Iran, lower production in Europe and restricted exports from China will likely help keep fertilizer prices high

StoneX analyst Josh Linville does not see much relief in sight on the nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer prices for farmers in 2026.