Can I use inoculants or ag-biologicals on my canola? Yes, you can use inoculants or ag-biologicals on your canola but only specific products will work. In today’s edition of Growing Possibilities, we look at what inoculants will work on canola and what features to look for when choosing a canola inoculant. Our focus is on microbial products that colonize the rhizosphere (or root zone) of the canola plant. We use the terms inoculant and ag-biological interchangeably in this blog. More information on how inoculants can differ from ag-biologicals can be found here (1).
Canola roots can only be colonized by specific microbes so not all products will work to inoculate canola. Canola cannot be inoculated with rhizobia meant for legumes like soybeans and pulses. This is because it does not form root-microbial associations with those bacteria. Canola and other brassica do not form mycorrhizal associations so you can’t use mycorrhizal inoculants on canola (2). For this reason, it is important to discuss with your supplier or agronomist to understand if a product is effective on canola before you purchase and apply it. After you have identified a product that will work on canola it is time to ask what benefits it provides.
Root structure is important to the health of the canola plant. Canola can develop a deep taproot, under the right conditions, to better seek out water and nutrients (3). As the root structure forms it quickly becomes colonized by soil microorganisms that “provide nutrients, increase plant nutrient uptake, protect against various environmental stressors, and promote positive plant health and growth” (4). Because of this it is important to consider the effect a canola inoculant will have on root development. Inoculants that contain plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) can produce hormones that encourage root development. The picture above shows the comparison between a canola plant treated with XiteBio® Yield+ (right) and an untreated check (left). “As you can see the canola plant that was treated with XiteBio® Yield+ has a more developed root system.” Says Jared Joyal Regional Sales Manager Western Canada XiteBio. “This root structure allows for more water and nutrient uptake and has on average led to higher yields for treated canola crops.”
Once you have found an inoculant that has an effective and proven PGPR you should ask what other benefits it provides. Reputable products will often provide specific and defined modes of action rather than promising vague or wide-ranging benefits. XiteBio® Yield+ contains a PGPR that has 3 modes of action it: produces phytohormones, solubilizes phosphorus (P) and chelates iron (Fe). These features mean that the plant not only has a larger root structure to seek out nutrients but is better able to absorb P and Fe when it does find them (5). At the end of the day a good inoculant is one that produces a positive ROI for the grower. Our growers have seen average yield increases ranging from 2.2 bu/ac to 5.5 bu/ac over the last 12 years of trials when XiteBio® Yield+ was applied to canola (6).
Inoculants and ag-biologicals are like plants, they are living organisms that can have good years and bad years. A good canola inoculant will not necessarily be the one that promises the highest rate of return in the shortest period of time, but one that produces consistent ROI on average year after year. This product usually fits into a grower’s budget as well as their program making it an indispensable part of their toolkit. For more information on how to get XiteBio Yield+ on your canola please visit our website or give us a call. Thanks for reading and until next time we wish you healthier plants and better yields.
- https://xitebio.ca/is-an-inoculant-different-from-a-biological/
- https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/plant-science/articles/10.3389/fpls.2022.828145/full
- https://grdc.com.au/resources-and-publications/grdc-update-papers/tab-content/grdc-update-papers/2020/02/canolas-deep-roots-agronomy-to-capture-benefits-and-manage-legacies
- https://www.canolacouncil.org/canola-encyclopedia/growth-stages/#:~:text=During%20flowering%2C%20the%20branches%20continue,which%20are%20yet%20to%20open.
- https://xitebio.ca/inoculant-and-biological-faqs/#p-solubilizing-inoculants-basics