There have been a number of reports of ripe canola looking black or, in some cases, sooty. We are hearing the same thing in wheat. So what is the cause?
Wheat affected by melanosis (photo by MAFRD’s Crop Diagnostic Lab)
Holly Derksen, MAFRD’s Field Crops Pathologist, recently did an interview with RealAgriculture.com on the topic of “Black Chaff, Melanosis, Glume Blotch: The Causes of Darkness on Wheat Heads at Harvest“. Learn more by listening to Holly’s interview with Kelvin Heppner of Real Agriculture.com: http://www.realagriculture.com/2014/08/black-chaff-melanosis-glume-blotch-darkness-wheat-heads-harvest/
Submitted by: Pam de Rocquigy, Provincial Cereal Crops Specialist, MAFRD