When it comes to increasing soybean yield, University of Illinois plant physiology professor Fred Below has two words of advice — plant early. In his presentation earlier this month at the Ontario Agricultural Conference, Below shared data from eight years of trials that show growers in Illinois lose almost half a bushel (0.47 bu/ac) for every day… Read More
It’s always amazing to see how much can transpire in just one week. Since Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson returned from Montana last week, much of Ontario and the Prairies got a foot of snow or more, someone fell asleep on the listener line, and Pete owes someone a steak dinner over Ontario’s average corn yields…. Read More
Planting corn into a cultivated strip provides many soil health and management benefits, but dealing with residue from the previous crop can prove challenging. In this video report from 2021 Ontario Diagnostic Days, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs corn specialist Ben Rosser and Anderson Agronomy Services agronomist Chad Anderson share what they’re learning from… Read More
There are significant differences between what is available in Canada and the U.S. when it comes to adjuvant additions to the spray tank. But that’s not to say there aren’t options for Canadian farmers — there are — and knowing what’s available, how they work, and when to use them is key to getting the… Read More
2021 was a big year for corn yield in Ontario. Although not official, the average yield is expected to check in at just over 200 bu/ac — a new record. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Corn School, we take a closer look at where this yield is coming from with Purdue University agronomy professor Dr…. Read More
Corn rootworm resistance to Bt proteins and hybrids is a growing concern for Ontario corn producers. In this video report from Ontario Diagnostic Days 2021, University of Guelph research scientist Jocelyn Smith helps growers understand corn rootworm’s life cycle and how to rate corn roots for rootworm injury. She also discusses how growers can work with researchers to… Read More
What’s in that snoil? That’s snow and soil, in case you’re wondering (AKA snirt). That’s that “little” skiff of brown or black snow in ditches and in fact, there’s a heck of a lot of good stuff in that snoil. From nutrients to organic matter, top soil moved by wind erosion is some of the… Read More
Cover crops deliver significant soil health and ground cover benefits, but they can often cause spring headaches when growers fail to kill them off in advance of corn and soybean planting. In this video report from Ontario Diagnostic Days 2021, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs soil management specialists Anne Verhallen and Jake… Read More
If you change how you deliver seed to the ground, what else has to change? From fertilizer planning, to seeding rate, to weed control, the planter vs. seeder decision isn’t as easy as which unit does the most consistent job. To explore considerations for canola and soybeans, and to kick off the 2022 season of… Read More
Wheat is an emotional crop. It doesn’t cry or yell but it will tell you how it’s feeling, especially if it’s struggling in a field that’s compacted, has inadequate drainage, or is suffering from poor manure or nitrogen application. “Wheat shows everything,” says Russ Barker, Corteva/Pioneer Hi-Bred agronomist, who joins OMAFRA cereals specialist Joanna Follings and RealAgriculture’s… Read More
In this first-of-the-year episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson discusses Ontario Ag Conference (on now), soil nutrient bank accounts, and low volumes going through a combine. Plus, Johnson works through a tiling/drainage problem for clay textured knolls. Have a question you’d like Johnson to address or some yield results to send in? Disagree… Read More
When glyphosate-resistant waterhemp was first discovered in Lambton County in 2014, University of Guelph weed scientist Peter Sikkema never imagined the course the weed would take across Ontario, or the speed it would travel. Fast forward to 2022 and glyphosate-resistant waterhemp has moved 700 kilometres east to Leeds & Grenville County. The invading resistant weed, often… Read More
Farmers across the country are getting creative in trying to find the answer to high fertilizer prices and tight supply for 2022. Including manure can be a part of the plan to decrease the fertilizer bill, but there are some considerations when including it as part of the overall fertility plan, says Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson…. Read More
We can be fooled by a plot demonstration side-by-side comparison when we use a visual response to evaluate products. Whether it’s an in-crop fertilizer application, a fungicide application, or something else, a visual response in a crop doesn’t necessarily translate to a yield bump. Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson gives the example of fusarium trials in… Read More
At this point in the year, plenty of growers have booked their canola varieties for the upcoming season or are trying to sort that decision out as quickly as possible. There’s been increased focus over the past few years on reducing seeding rates, and it’s a good question to explore says Russell Trischuk, InVigor technical… Read More