
Canary seed responsive to chloride but not other micros
Canary seed grain yield was increased with side-band applications of nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, potassium, and chloride by between 29% and 187% compared to unfertilized treatment in five of six site-years. Canary seed yield was not responsive to copper, zinc and boron, but was responsive to manganese at one site-year.
Previous research at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at Indian Head, SK has found that canary seed is responsive to chloride (Cl-) fertilizer. However, very little research has been conducted in Saskatchewan on canary seed response to other micronutrients.
A research study was conducted at Indian Head over four years from 2015 through 2018, and at Melfort over three years from 2015 through 2017. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), boron (B), and manganese (Mn) as foliar and side-banded fertilizers on the yield and development of canary seed.
Eleven different fertilizer treatments were applied including a control with no fertilizer. Except for the control, all treatments had macronutrients plus Cl- side-banded at seeding at rates of 53 lbs N/ac (60 kg N/ha), 27 lbs P2O5/ac (30 kg P2O5/ha), 21 lbs K2O/ac (24 kg K2O/ha), 13 lbs s/ac (15 kg S/ha), and Cl- at 15 lbs/ac (18.1 kg/ha). A Cu, Zn, Mn and B blend was applied in a side-band at seeding in one treatment, or individually as a foliar treatments at either the 3-6 leaf stage or at flag leaf emergence (Table 1). Micronutrient rates were chosen based on results from the scientific literature.
Source: May et al. 2024
Chloride was applied as potash (KCl, 0-0-60-0). Copper was applied in the sideband as copper sulfate pentahydrate (CuSO4 ·5H2O) and as copper sulfate (CuSO4) in the foliar application. Zinc was applied in the sideband as zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) and zinc oxide (ZnO), and as ZnSO4 in the foliar application. Boron was applied in the sideband as sodium borate (Na2B4O7 ·5H2O) and as ethanolamine borate (C2H10 BNO4 ) in the foliar application. Manganese was applied in the sideband as manganese sulfate (MnSO4) and manganese oxide (MnO), and as MnSO4 in the foliar application.
Soil tests found that residual Cl- ranged from 14.6 to 100 lbs/ac (16.4 to 113.4 kg/ha) at 0 – 24 inches (0–60 cm) at the five site-years. However, since a threshold level of Cl- has not been established, the researchers recommend CL- fertilizer application whenever canary seed grass is grown.
Other micronutrients were analyzed at six site-years at 0-6 inches (0–15 cm). Soil Zn ranged from 0.62 to 5.6 lbs/ac (0.7 to 6.3 kg/ha). Residual Mn ranged from 15.4 to 38 lbs/ac (17.3 to 43 kg/ha). Soil B ranged from 1.2 to 7.8 lbs/ac (1.4 to 8.8 kg/ha). For these three micros, a response level from soil tests has not been developed for Saskatchewan.
Soil Cu ranged from 1.3 to 3.5 lbs/ac (1.4 to 3.9 kg/ha) or 0.8 to 2.2 PPM. These results are above the critical threshold for Cu at 0.4 PPM where grain yield may be increased with Cu fertilization.
Plant leaf tissue samples were collected to assess leaf nutrient concentrations at flag-leaf emergence and at early seed filling. Yield and kernel weight was measured at harvest.
Tissue concentration varied
Increases to micronutrient concentration in leaf tissue varied by application method and micronutrient. Leaf tissues tests before anthesis or during seed fill found that the side-band soil application of the Cu, Zn, Mn, and B fertilizer blend did not have any impact on the concentration of Cu and Zn. This application increased B concentration at two of six site-years.
Foliar application of micronutrients produced variable leaf concentration changes. A foliar application of B at flag leaf increased B concentration at two different site-years. The most consistent method to increase leaf tissue concentration of Zn (five out of six site-years) and Mn (three out of six site-years) was a foliar application at flag-leaf emergence
Increases in Cu leaf tissue concentration from foliar application were inconsistent (two out of six site-years).
Yield response to chloride
In five of the six site-years, the macronutrient fertilizer blend of N, P, K, S, plus Cl− side-banded at seeding improved grain yield by 29% to 187% compared to the unfertilized check.
Despite increases in micronutrient concentration in tissue tests for some of the micronutrients, Zn, Cu, and B application had no impact on grain yield. At one of six site-years, a foliar application of Mn increased grain yield and requires further research.
The researchers found that site-years with very low levels of Cl- in leaf tissue had the largest increase in grain yield to Cl- fertilization. This suggests that early season tissue testing could be used to identify fields where in-season Cl- fertilization could prove beneficial – but further research would be required to establish a critical tissue threshold level.
This research was made possible by the financial support of the Government of Saskatchewan, Canaryseed Development Commission of Saskatchewan, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
William E. May, Afruza Begum, Sarah J. Moreside, and Gerard John F. Sikat. 2024. The effect of applied micronutrients (Cu, Zn, Mn, and B) and chloride on annual canarygrass. Canadian Journal of Plant Science. 104(6): 607-625. OPEN ACCESS https://doi.org/10.1139/cjps-2023-0132
Related Paper:
Mr. William Earl May and Mr. Michael MacGregor. Interaction between chloride and both macro and micro nutrients in annual canarygrass. Canadian Journal of Plant Science. Just-IN https://doi.org/10.1139/CJPS-2021-0157