Across Western Canada, the cereal crop is very quickly approaching the critical period to decide on whether or not to apply a plant growth regulator, or PGR. As Jeremy Boychyn, agronomy research extension manager with the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions, explains in our latest Wheat School episode, there’s a few things we can think… Read More
Category: Wheat
It’s been a dry spring in Ontario and many growers are asking whether it makes sense to invest in a T3 fungicide for winter wheat. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Wheat School, resident agronomist Peter Johnson notes that across the province, the crop has received below-average rainfall and the potential for yield-robbing fusarium head… Read More
Sluggish soys and crusted corn has many Ontario farmers wondering what the heck is going on with these crops. Well, when you look at the weather data for the month of May, the answer becomes pretty clear: this latest heatwave notwithstanding, it’s been cool to cold for much of the month! Is there anything that… Read More
It’s time to talk fusarium control — by zeroing in on an upright, narrow target. Achieving excellent coverage of a wheat head is a huge challenge, so to talk about better control and spray technology, this episode of the Agronomists brings together Dr. Dave Hooker, with the University of Guelph-Ridgetown, and Dr. Tom Wolf of… Read More
Multicoloured wheat? At this stage in late May, winter wheat should be dark green and uniform, going flat out as it comes into head. However, many wheat fields across Ontario are showing every shade of green imaginable, and too much of it isn’t dark green and photosynthesizing at maximum speed. We put the nitrogen and… Read More
As planting of corn and soybeans nears the finish line across Ontario, farmers and agronomists are turning their attention to weed control. A stretch of dry weather that fuelled a two-week sprint of planting, with little time for spraying, means many growers are now checking the status of pre-plant applications and trying to determine next… Read More
A job worth doing is worth doing right — and seed treating is no different. This is the sentiment Brian Ellis of Graham Seed Treating Systems Ltd. at Olds, Alta., shares in our latest episode of the Wheat School. In order to do this, it means you have to plan ahead, says Ellis. A poor… Read More
A lower seeding rate, narrow rows and attention to detail. They’re all management practices grower Jeffrey Krohn employs to grow high-yielding winter wheat on his Elkton, Michigan farm. Krohn’s strategy helped him win top honours in the 2022 Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN). When all the results were tabulated, Krohn finished first in both… Read More
Water, water, water — in this episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, the topic of water comes up several times. From ancient lakes, to wet weather, to the erosive power of water, to mixing order for spray solution, water is a hot topic this week. Also on this week’s Word, host Peter Johnson says nay to… Read More
Ontario’s winter wheat crop has come through the winter in good condition and is packed with yield potential. But there is concern: a crop with big stem- and head-counts carries a much higher risk of lodging. To reduce this risk, growers will be looking to apply a plant growth regulator (PGR) to help the crop… Read More
Residue management, seeing rates, dates, other establishment factors in the early season, and a whole lot more are the focus on this episode of The Agronomists. Host Lyndsey Smith is joined by certified wheat gurus Phil Needham of Needham Ag Technologies, and Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson, RealAgriculture’s resident agronomist. The focus for this episode is… Read More
What’s old is new again, or at least as relevant as ever when it comes to managing herbicide resistant weeds. Research led by Charles Geddes, weed scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at Lethbridge, shows cultural practices — tighter row spacing, higher seeding rates, and longer crop rotations — can be just as effective as… Read More
Thick stand? Thin stand? How does your wheat look as the growing season revs up with mid-April heat? In Ontario, RealAgriculture Agronomist Peter Johnson likes what he sees and says it’s time to get out, scout winter wheat fields and assess those stands. Looking back on data from the first two years of the Great… Read More
The spring wheat market is no exception when it comes to how up in the air the commodity markets have been. Especially when you look at all the intended acres that are planned for the U.S. Chip Flory, of Agritalk, says a main reason for keeping eyes on the spring wheat market, is the terrible… Read More
Often when looking at soil samples, our eyes tend to flick straight to the nitrogen section. Where are N levels? What do we need to apply? Nitrogen is very important in wheat production, but as Jeremy Boychyn, agronomy research extension manager with the Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions explains, we still need to be keeping… Read More