Performance of Canola (Brassica napus L.) Hybrids at Different Sowing Dates in a Subtropical Environment
摘要
Canola (Brassica napus L.) is an oil crop cultivated during the winter season in subtropical regions; however, its management in these environments is not well-documented. This study aimed to evaluate canola crop performance under different sowing dates (mid-February (SD1), mid-March (SD2), late-March (SD3), mid-April (SD4), and mid-May (SD5) and hybrids (ALHT B4, ALHT M6, Hyola 50, Hyola 61, Hyola 433, Hyola 571 CL, and Hyola 575 CL) in a subtropical environment over two growing seasons. The experimental design consisted of completely randomized blocks with a split-plot arrangement and three replications. The attributes evaluated were vegetative growth period, reproductive growth period, frost damage, 1000-grain weight, and grain yield. On average, the vegetative growth period varied more between hybrids (57–97 days), compared to the reproductive growth period (57–65 days) between sowing dates. Grain yield ranged from 1.31 to 1.67 Mg ha−1 in 2015 and 1.94–2.85 Mg ha−1 in 2016. In general, mid-cycle hybrids (Hyola 50, Hyola 61, Hyola 433, Hyola 571 CL, and Hyola 575 CL) showed higher grain yields in later sowings (SD4 and SD5), whereas late-cycle hybrids (ALHT B4 and ALHT M6) exhibited higher yields in early and mid-sowings (SD1, SD2, and SD3) over the growing seasons. Frost events during the reproductive growth phase significantly impacted the attainable canola yield. Selecting canola hybrids should consider the growth cycle relative to the intended sowing date, and breeding efforts must focus on developing frost-resilient for subtropical environments.