Wheat Pete's Word, August 3: Ongoing insect problems, surprise diseases, rotation and potash deficiencies

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August is officially here and it’s time for another edition of Wheat Pete’s Word. On this week’s instalment, RealAgriculture’s Peter Johnson has a few surprises, and unfortunately for many, we aren’t talking about the good kind of surprise.

Johnson discusses some of the ongoing and surprise insect issues plaguing producers along with diseases that have recently wreaked some havoc despite drier conditions. Also on the show, he’ll talk about rotation realities and address potash deficiencies.

Have a question you’d like Johnson to address or some yield results to send in? Disagree with something he’s said? Leave him a message at 1-888-746-3311, send him a tweet (@wheatpete), or email him at [email protected].

Summary:

  • Just two weeks left to get in CAP program applications
  • This year’s wheat variety data won’t likely be available until August 20
  • Ontario is still getting a mixed bag of weather with some areas facing very dry conditions with others producing well above average crops. Many are asking if Ontario will have a record year for wheat
  • Never give up, a crop that doesn’t look that stellar, may surprise you
  • Despite an optimistic start for hay in the spring, supply is now short in southwestern Ontario
  • Scouting is showing low pollen shed in corn fields but there should still be enough to get the job done
  • Talking harvest index, where do the roots fit in? Bottom line, they’re just too hard to measure
  • Continuous root exudates definitely makes a difference on what’s going on the insect world
  • We are seeing continued problems with soybean aphids, where we have moisture in Eastern Ontario and hardly any soybean aphids in the dry areas with potash deficiencies
  • Spider mites are starting to be a problem in the southwest
  • Get out your magnifying glass, thrips are showing up and are causing issues
  • Despite dry conditions root rot is wreaking havoc in some soybean fields
  • Can you broadcast potash to help the crop? Well yes, but you still need at least a little rain for it to be useful
  • If you have marginal potash deficiency symptoms Foliar can work. But in many cases, this is beyond marginal

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Wheat Pete's Word (view all)Season 8 (2022) Episode 22
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