Canola Field

For Canola, the timing of growth stage progressions through the season is dependent on both the variety and environmental cues such as day length, or temperature. The Canola growing degree day model developed by Montana State University, uses heat units and time as a method to estimate plant phenological stages through the growing season. This can be helpful as a crop management tool, or to predict harvest timing.

Calculating Growing Degree Days

For this model, a lower temperature threshold of 32F / 0C used to calculate growing degree day accumulation beginning at the time of planting. Growing degree days can be calculated from daily high and low temperatures, or via the Pest Prophet app, which uses hourly temperature data for a given field. This can be used to predict flowering, seed development, and grain hardening based on growing degree day accumulation for the species B. Rapa and B. Napus of Canola. B. Rapus will be ready to harvest at approximately 2870 GDD F, and for B. Napus, harvest will occur at approximately at 2830 GDD F.

Learn More:

Andrews et al. Vegetable Degree-day Models: An Introduction for Farmers and Gardeners. EM 9305. 2021.