Rising temperatures put stored canola at risk

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

Spring is finally here. But as we are enjoying the beautiful weather, the rising temperatures could be proving detrimental to producers with stored canola.

As temperatures start to climb, spoilage and damage of stored canola can also increase, resulting in lost efforts and revenue.

"We have had a fair amount of damaged seed coming in through the course of this winter to both elevators and crushers. That is in part a reflection of what happened last fall, as well as older seed that producers continued to put into the system," stated David Vanthuyne, an agronomist with the Canola Council of Canada.

"There was a report of a bin, approximately 10,000 bushels in size, that came in with over 80 per cent damage. That bin was essentially worth nothing," Vanthuyne said.

Some producers turned their canola or aerated it in November or December to get the core temperature down to zero. With temperatures back on the rise, the Canola Council advises that it is now important to bring that core temperature back up to 10 degrees Celsius.

According to Vanthuyne, "This will ensure that, over the summer months, the temperature in the core and the outside of the bin is closer together. That way, producers can avoid that variation of temperature within the bin which increases the risk of spoilage."

Some producers may have had an area of canola within their bin that was just on the verge of being too warm going into storage, but held stable. Vanthuyne says that, as the temperature on the outside of the bin increases, hot air travels up the sides of the bin and down through the core. Those areas might now be prone to increasing temperatures that can cause spoilage, such as mould, to continue.

"The process of conditioning is important, since it allows producers to get some air movement into their canola bins through simply turning their canola or aerating, whatever the case may be. That equalizes the temperature and prevents spoilage," he said. "Conditioning is just a natural process of canola."

Coming into the spring, Vanthuyne points out there is no definite timeline of how long it will take for damage to begin occurring. But producers should be cautious of the ways in which damage can potentially occur and the risks associated with it.

"Throughout the month of May, we are advising growers to turn on their fans for a few days to try to equalize the temperatures within the bins."

Vanthuyne says the best way to measure the current temperature of stored canola is to pull out part of the load and take a sample. If they have temperature sensors within the bins, he suggests the canola will be stable for the summer when it starts to get up above 10 or 15 degrees Celsius.

"Last year, there was not a huge problem in terms of moisture. Canola was dry, but growers often think that dry is safe, which is false. Temperature is just as crucial as moisture."

Vanthuyne says it is important that producers do some of the preparation for canola storage at the beginning of the winter, and then turn that process around coming to the summer months. "With proper storage conditions, canola will be stable and can be stored for up to two or three years."

The Canola Council is making available a Canola Storage Time Chart, which outlines in more detail the risks associated with the rising temperatures and moisture levels pertaining to unstable canola. The chart will be contained in the Canola Growers Manual, which will be posted on the council's website at www.canola-council.org in the near future.

For more information, contact:

David Vanthuyne, Agronomist
Canola Council of Canada
Phone: (306) 782-7799