The effect of canola cultivar on water extraction and nitrogen and sulphur uptake

The objective of this study was to assess the mechanism that leads to enhanced uptake of N and S by a hybrid canola cultivar. Two canola cultivars, one hybrid (45H21) and one open-pollinated (Conquest) were grown at a single location near Rosebank, MB during the 2003 growing season to study the impact of canola cultivar and S fertilization on the uptake of water, N and S from the soil. The experimental design was a Randomized Complete Block where each cultivar was exposed to three fertilizer treatments: a control, 160 kg N ha -1: 0 kg S ha-1, and 160 kg N ha -1: 27 kg S ha-1. Soil and plant N and S concentrations were measured at midseason and maturity to determine the uptake of N and S by each cultivar. Soil moisture content was monitored throughout the growing season to study the activity of the canola roots. As well, soil cores were removed at midseason to determine the difference in rooting depth by each cultivar. The year following the canola crop experiment, AC Barrie spring wheat was seeded to the canola stubble without N fertilizer to study the effect of N and S uptake by each canola cultivar on a subsequent crop. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...