Canola Growth and Development

Vegetative Reproductive

Showing top 2/3 of plant only

Emergence Second Leaf Fourth Leaf Sixth Leaf Overwintering Stem 10% 30% 50% 90% Beginning Fully
Elongation Flowering Flowering Flowering Flowering Ripening Ripened
Canola Development Stages
Emergence 10% Flowering Pod and Seed Development Timeline
The hypocotyl pulls the cotyledons 10 percent of the flowers are Specific results are environment and cultivar dependent
above the soil surface. The growing open. Flowering begins when the
point is between the two cotyledons. first floret opens, usually on the Day 1 – First buds open and fertilization
The taproot grows vertically and the lowest buds on the main stem and of the ovule occurs.
secondary roots and root hairs grow, continuing upward, with three or
capturing water and nutrients. more flowers opening each day.
Management: Insecticide-treated Secondary branches begin flowering Day 15 – Seed expansion begins; seeds are
seed protects against flea beetle, 2 to 3 days later. watery and translucent.
green peach aphid, and turnip aphid. Management: Drought and heat
Consider spraying the field margins may limit branching and reduce Day 20 – Pods nearing full length; seed fill
for grasshoppers. Fungicide-treated yield. Freezing temperatures affect begins with rapid embryo growth and protein
seed protects against damping off open buds. Damage can be observed accumulation.
and seed-borne blackleg but does as a bend in the raceme and aborted
not protect against blackleg from flowers. Days 35 to 55 – Seed oil synthesis.
crop residue.
30% Flowering Day 40 – Maximum pod fresh weight and
Second leaf 30 percent of the flowers are open. length achieved. Seed development complete
Two leaves fully expanded. The rate Seeds per pod are defined once at 35% of mature dry weight.
of leaf expansion is 7 to 10 days per the flower is open. A reduction in
leaf. Rapid canopy establishment photosynthetic capacity can cause Days 50 to 72 – Pod walls reach maximum
improves light, water, and nutrient flower abortion, reducing potential fresh weight and seed moisture loss begins.
capture. pods and seeds per pod. About 60
percent of open flowers become Day 60 – Seed oil synthesis complete at 40%
Management: Scout for insects, seed color change. Seed is 70% of final dry
productive pods.
weeds, and diseases. Watch for weight.
shot holes and windowpanes from Management: Evaluate the risk
diamondback moth and armyworm for sclerotinia stem rot, especially
larvae feeding and for blackleg if the field or neighboring fields Day 65 – 60% seed color change.
lesions on leaves. Control annual have a history of canola. Fungicide
broadleaf and grassy weeds. applications should be made at 30 Day 70 – Seeds reach maximum dry weight.
to 50 percent flowering to control
sclerotinia.
Day 80 – Pods and seeds fully ripened.
Fourth leaf
Four leaves fully expanded. The
total number of leaves a plant 50% Flowering
produces depends on factors such
50 percent seed color change on the main stem
50 percent of the flowers are open.
as genotype, planting date, seeding Flowers that opened in the first Top third
rate, nutrition, temperature, and 10 days and were successfully Pods are light green and
moisture. pollinated are forming pods and pliable. Seeds are dark
Management: Complete weed seeds. Flowering usually lasts 30 green and firm when
control by 4 to 6 weeks after to 40 days. A healthy pod canopy rolled between the
emergence. Include a foliar is critical for seed development. thumb and forefinger.
Reproductive

insecticide with the herbicide if Maximum plant height is attained.

Vegetative

40 to 45 percent
needed. Apply a foliar fungicide if Management: Several flowers can be moisture.
blackleg lesions are present. lost due to stress conditions and the
plant can still recover if leaf, stem, Middle third
and pod areas remain undamaged as Pods are turning light
conditions improve. Scout for insect green to yellow. Seeds
pests that feed on flowers and pods. are dark green,
Sixth leaf speckled, and turning.
Six leaves fully expanded. This is the 30 to 40 percent
minimum number of leaves needed moisture.
before dormancy. Canola may
produce 10 to 15 leaves on the main
stem. The end of leaf development Bottom third
90% Flowering Pods are turning light
coincides with vernalization. 90 percent of the flowers are open. green to yellow. Seeds
Management: Continue scouting Active seed formation is progressing are completely turned
for blackleg lesions. Nutrient and in early-formed pods, and more pods (dark brown or black).
water demands increase until the are developing. Competition for
20 to 30 percent
overwintering stage. resources between opening flowers
moisture.
and pods interrupts flowering. Pods
are expanding rapidly, reaching
maximum fresh weight and length
Overwintering by the mid-point of grain fill. Speckling
Canola overwinters in the rosette
stage. The stem thickens. The plant Management: Powdery mildew
produces smaller leaf cells with a and Alternaria spp. may reduce pod
higher concentration of soluble and seed set if wet conditions are
substances, increasing freeze prevalent at late flowering/early Turning
tolerance. pod filling. Foliar fungicides may be
applied.
Management: Apply nitrogen in
a split approach, with a quarter to Fully Turned
a third applied preplant and the
remainder top-dressed at spring
greenup. Sulfur is also critical and Beginning ripening
can be applied in the fall or with the This occurs when the pods turn
nitrogen top-dress. Apply herbicides from yellow to brown, becoming
as the plant resumes growth in the brittle as they dry. Seed color and
spring. Scout for army cutworm. coat are changing and drying out.
Grain filling typically lasts 35 to 55 Michael J. Stamm, Associate Agronomist, Canola Breeder,
Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University.
days. Maximum seed dry weight is
[email protected], TWITTER @ksucanola
reached at 70 days after flowering.
Roots Seed moisture is lost at roughly 2 to Ignacio A. Ciampitti, Crop Production and Cropping Systems Specialist,
Canola is a tap-rooted crop with 3 percent per day. Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University.
many lateral, fibrous roots. These [email protected], TWITTER @KSUCROPS
Management: Manage harvest
roots have a mellowing effect on soil operations. Swathing may occur
structure. For all subsequent growth between 30 to 60 percent of seed
Great Plains Canola Production Handbook
stages, only the top two-thirds of the Oklahoma State University • Kansas State University • University of Nebraska
color change. Desiccants may be
plant is illustrated. applied to hasten dry down between Procrop Canola Growth and Development
75 to 85 percent of seed color State of New South Wales, Australia, through Department of Primary Industries
change.
Reviewers: Heath Sanders, Oklahoma State University
Stem elongation Kraig L. Roozeboom, Kansas State University
Growth resumes when days
This project was supported by funds from the Promote Canola Acres Program.
lengthen and average temperatures Fully ripened
reach 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Stem Seeds are mature and losing
elongation (bolting) begins with moisture, and final seed weight
leaf expansion and the initiation has been achieved. All pods have
Reproductive

of flower buds. In the axils of the reached maturity and are split easily
upper leaves, branches form from along the center membrane.
buds. Each branch develops one to
four leaves and a flower bud cluster. Management: Harvest should occur
Fifteen to 20 leaves develop. at 8 to 10 percent seed moisture.
Begin harvest as soon as the crop is
Management: Nutrient demand fully ripened. Canola swathed in a
increases significantly and the windrow ripens in 4 to 12 days.
plant is moderately tolerant to hard
freezes at this stage.
Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service
K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of May 8 and June 30,
1914, as amended. Kansas State University, County Extension Councils, Extension Districts, and United States Department of Agriculture Cooperating, John D.
Floros, Director. MF3236 | July 2017