Alberta Updates Mustard Factsheet

EDMONTON - Jan 25/10 - SNS -- Alberta Agriculture has updated its mustard seed prodcution factsheet, with the latest version available for download at www.agriculture.alberta.ca/publications.

"Mustard is a relative of canola but tends to be more tolerant to drought, heat and frost," says Dr. Ross McKenzie, agronomy research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. "Mustard has allowed producers in the drier regions to add an oilseed crop to their rotations, which has helped disrupt pest cycles, increase moisture use efficiency and increase farm income."

To achieve optimum mustard yield and quality, the first important step is field selection based on previous crop and residue conditions. Using diverse crop rotations that include three or four different crops is generally the most desirable crop production practice.

"Mustard is commonly grown in rotation with small grain crops," says McKenzie. "Ideally, mustard should follow a cereal crop. Generally, mustard is not subject to the same insect or disease pressures as cereal crops. A break of several years between canola and other mustard types is needed to minimize volunteers that would contaminate the grain and lower the grade.

"Mustard should not follow pulse or oilseed crops. Under high potential yield conditions, mustard is susceptible to the disease sclerotinia (Sclerotinia sclerotiorum), which also affects most pulse crops such as pea or lentil and oilseed crops such as canola, flax or sunflower."

A factsheet, Mustard Production for Alberta (Agdex 143/20-1) was recently produced and is available from Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. The mustard factsheet topics include:

* mustard types and uses

* production and variety selection

* cropping systems and rotations

* water use and yield

* benefits and establishment

* seeding and fertilizing

* weed control, disease management and inspect pests

* harvesting, drying and storage

To view this factsheet, visit the Alberta Agriculture website at www.agriculture.alberta.ca/publications.