Print This PageRoundup Ready® Canola
Roundup Ready canola is the most profitable weed control system, so get ready to see more yellow.
Higher yield and oil content
Australian field trials conducted by Monsanto have demonstrated that Roundup Ready canola has the potential to increase yields, particularly over triazine tolerant systems where residual herbicides can impact on seedling vigour and ultimately crop performance. As part of a 2009 replicated trial program near Wallanbeen in NSW, Monsanto compared Roundup Ready canola side by side with triazine tolerant and Clearfield systems. Results from this trial indicated that Roundup Ready canola provided substantial yield gains (average of 11%) compared with triazine tolerant system. Yield gains compared to Clearfield specifically were even higher given the heavy weed pressure from Group B herbicide resistant weeds.
Recent grower experience in Australia also supports these findings. In 2008 growers reported an average of 20% more yield than triazine tolerant alternatives and 2% higher oil content as part of a comprehensive survey conducted by Monsanto with all growers who planted Roundup Ready canola in that year.
Figure 1. Average yield for Roundup Ready vs. Triazine Tolerant canola.
Figure 2. Average oil content for Roundup Ready vs. Triazine Tolerant canola.
Sow on time
Conventional canola systems often rely on cultivation and delayed sowing to control weeds that they cannot control in-crop. The timliness of sowing is critical however as planting windows can close quickly, either due to marginal conditions or wet weather. Research has shown that delaying sowing results in up to 8% yield loss per week, a10% loss in water use efficiency of the plant per month and can also limit a crop’s percentage of oil content. With Roundup Ready canola growers can now sow on time, every time, and know that their weed control can be taken care of when the season breaks, and weeds arrive. The ability to sow on time or to dry sow means higher yields and more profit.
Experience profitable rotations
Roundup Ready canola gives growers greater flexibility in their cropping options. With alternative weed control systems, residues form triazine and imidazolinone herbicides are persistent in the soil and commonly carryover to the following season impacting on the emergence, growth and ultimately yield of susceptible crops particularly in dry seasons. With no plant-back restrictions Roundup Ready canola growers have greater confidence to plant knowing they have the ability to change their cropping program if soil moisture is too low or the season break is too late, and knowing that their cropping options won’t be limited in the following season.
There is a market for GM canola
A recent research report by ABARE (2007) concluded that marketers of GM canola are unlikely to be disadvantaged in the Australian and world markets as it appeared to be finding ready markets throughout the world at prices very similar to those received for conventional canola.
Canada grows about four times more canola than Australia and the adoption of GM varieties continues to increase. Canola exports, on average, have continued to grow including into Austrlia’s primary canola markets - Japan, China, Pakistan and Bangladesh. This indicates that Australian GM canola would continue to access the same markets our canola industry is currently trading with.
Figure 3 details the major world importers and highlights Japan, China and Pakistan as historically the major destinations for Australian canola, where it competes directly with GM canola from Canada. The European Union has traditionally only been an occasional importer of Australian canola, whilst Bangladesh is emerging as an important export destination.
Figure 3: Pattern of world trade in canola (annual average 3 yrs to 2005)
Source: ABARE Research Report 07.5 (2007)
