Happy Canada Day! It's time for this week's episode of Wheat Pete's Word!
This week, host Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson reflects on national pride, agricultural progress, and offers a packed episode full of timely agronomy updates, from yield highlights and crop stage tips to weather-driven challenges and in-field observations.
Here’s what you’ll hear in this episode:
- New Guelph leadership: Dr. Rene Van Acker appointed president, an agriculture-forward choice at the helm. Forward, together
- Nanotech in ag: Caleb’s work on nano-formulated inputs shows promise for uptake and efficiency
- Perspective on progress: Global poverty, lifespan, and disease rates have improved markedly since 1990
- Media literacy matters: Mark from Delmarva urges healthy skepticism of science headlines even from reputable outlets
- Wheat yield watch: YEN entries report four to five seeds per spikelet; wheat yield potential is looking solid
- Corn’s strong start: Most fields well past “knee high by July." Early nitrogen showing visible differences
- Photo credit: Bill Litwin
- Ammonia burn woes: Urea side-dress applications causing leaf burn—cosmetic but frustrating to see
- Tornado at Lucan earlier this week!
- Dry pockets vs. drenched fields: Extreme contrasts in moisture from Lucan to Woodville to Idaho
- Nutrient lockout in dry soils: High potash levels may still show deficiency; manganese fix is easier
- Barley harvest delays: Compared to 2023, winter barley is behind; double crop options limited this year
- Lodging lessons: Even good wheat can fall in saturated, wind-blasted soils—Joe’s photo proves the point (below)
- Scout for aphids now: Insecticide-treated seed protection is expiring—aphid thresholds demand attention
- Fungicide timing advice: Full canopy is critical; adjust soybean fungicide sprays based on growth stage and closure
- Soybean sulphur response varies: Some see visual differences and reduced herbicide injury—others, not at all
- Residue puzzles continue: Silage vs. grain corn shows how residue affects soybean vigour, weeds, and corn emergence
Have a question you’d like Wheat Pete to address or some field results to send in? Agree/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].
