Harvesting and Threshing

Canola is ripe when plants turn a straw color and seeds become a dark brown. Because shattering is a potential problem, it is recommended that the crop be swathed when 25 percent of the seeds have turned from green to brown. In addition, the seed should be firm and not break when rolled between the thumb and forefinger. Producers will need to sample pods from various places in the field to determine average maturity. Moisture at this stage is about 35 percent. When swathing, reel speed should be reduced by one-half to two-thirds of normal. Canola is easy to cut but makes a bulky, fluffy swath which can be scattered quite easily by the wind. Swathing should be done just below the lowest seed pods, leaving the stubble as high as possible. This will allow the windrow to settle into the stubble and reduce loss from wind movements. To reduce shattering, use a belt-type pick-up attachment. Combine cylinder speed for canola is reduced about 50 to 75 percent of that for wheat. Avoid excessive cylinder speed as it breaks up the straw, overloading the sieves and putting foreign matter in with the clean seed. Canola straw and chaff should be spread.