Agriculture
6 November, 2025
Canola enters next stage of local research
HYBRID crops in the second phase of assessment for commercial potential were on display to Loddon farmers last week.
Pioneer’s new trial site between Marong and Campbells Forest was planted with R4 and R5 hybrids in April, days after the Anzac Day break.
Area representative Dave Smyth said the canola crop quickly established and the trial aimed to collect data representative of agricultural land in the district.
“The new site has been planted with hybrids in the fourth and fifth year of development,” he said.
“New hybrids planted in Research and Strike trials are carefully observed and their performance is rated for a broad range of plant performance characteristics such as standability, disease resistance, grain quality and yield.
“Experimental hybrids that offer real advantages over existing commercial products are identified for local seed production and sales commercialisation.
“New hybrids will only be advanced if they exceed the agronomy and disease tolerance requirements for the environment they will be grown in.
“By the time a hybrid has been commercially released, farmers can be assured it has been tested over multiple years - usually around five to six years, and in multiple locations and seasons.”
Mr Smyth said canola crops in the Loddon this season were some of the best around.
“Many farmers had a great start with rains in April and then some hand-to-mouth rain at times over winter,” he said.
“Crops sown at the right time kept going and held on well.”
Mr Smyth said canola continued to be a good three-year rotation crop with cereals and vetch on paddocks in the region.
“There are certainly indications that canola will again be the king of the crops this year,” he said.
Mr Smyth said local hybrid trials by the Pioneer research and STRIKE team around the country each season help determine which products to advance and the field day had given growers the opportunity to view new hybrids.
“The key is testing hybrids on-farm in real-life growing conditions, over multiple years, in the same conditions that farmers would experience,” he said.
“Pioneer tests multiple hybrids, over multiple locations and seasons so we can select the best performing hybrids to re-test.”