In 2019, many Ontario soybean fields showed signs of severe manganese deficiency. Many of the problem areas were a direct result of growing conditions that featured both soil temperature and moisture extremes, says AGRIS Co-operative agronomist Dale Cowan, who notes that many soils in southwestern Ontario tend to be naturally low in manganese. Any time… Read More
One of the big benefits of strip tilling corn is the ability to place fertilizer directly into the berm or strip for greater nutrient efficiency. But as growers rotate out of strip-tilled corn, how can they assess the overall fertility of a field where nutrient placement was concentrated in specific areas? On this edition of… Read More
“There’s lots of things to consider when you’re thinking about growing pulses, and the very first thing that comes to mind is rotations.” Sherrilyn Phelps, agronomy manager with the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, joins us for this Pulse School, where she identifies a few of the key factors to consider when selecting a field for pulses…. Read More
Soybean harvest is underway in Ontario as the crop matures rapidly. It’s good news for winter wheat growers looking to get the crop planted on soybean ground, says RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson, but there are still plenty of late-planted green soybeans that are a long way from the bin. The prospect of another year of… Read More
In Ontario, 120,000 soybean plants per acre is a common target to maximize yield. But some of today’s modern soybean genetics can deliver much higher yields when planted at lower populations in high-yield environments. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Soybean School, Bernard Tobin and PRIDE Seeds market agronomist Matt Chapple put this theory to the… Read More
After a turbulent growing season, good weather finally has Ontario’s soybean crop maturing quickly and speeding toward harvest. Soybeans are loving the September conditions, says BASF business representative Ken Currah, as they’re starting to ripen and mature. For many growers that means it’s time to consider pre-harvest burndown to either even up the crop moisture… Read More
Many corn growers across Ontario continue to hold their breath as the late-planted, slow-developing crop continues its march to maturity. In early September, many growers wondered whether the crop would make it, but after a stretch of good weather and an extended forecast that promises more warm days and good nighttime temperatures, the finish line… Read More
A University of Manitoba masters student has found the major difference between growing soybeans in Ontario versus Manitoba is how long it takes to flower. “Soybean has traditionally been grown in Ontario, and as soybean acres expanded in Manitoba, we wanted to look at the difference in growth habit,” says Nate Ort, who caught up… Read More
It’s time for farmers to be thinking about seeding winter wheat, but many questions still remain around the crop such as: when do I seed it? What sort of yields can I expect? How frost resistant is the variety? Always top of mind for this crop, too, is fertility — how much is enough and… Read More
According to the Canola Council of Canada (CCC), average harvest losses in the field can range from 0.2 to one bushel per acre, and can reach 5 bu/ac or more in extreme conditions. That’s why the council is encouraging producers to pay attention to what’s coming out the back of the combine. “The number one… Read More
Ontario’s challenging 2019 spring weather left almost 200,000 acres unplanted in the province, but those acres now present a tremendous opportunity to plant a high-yielding wheat crop. That’s the message agronomist Peter Johnson shares with growers on this edition of the RealAgriculture Wheat School. “Planting early is the number one way to make great yields,”… Read More
Harvest is already a busy time of year, but a few extra moments outside the combine or swather could make a big difference for disease management on those fields in future years, and could help explain yield dips you might see on the yield monitor. According to Shawn Senko, agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of… Read More
Tillering corn may not offer the picturesque vision of a picket fence crop, but it isn’t all bad. Alana Serhan, market development agronomist with PRIDE Seeds, says it’s both a positive and a negative to see tillering. “Typically when you have the presence of tillers it means there’s a lot of nutrients available – a… Read More
Cooler temperatures across Western Canada have brought about some challenges — one of them being a delay in wheat maturity. Crops are at variable stages, even within a single field. Producers considering a pre-harvest glyphosate application on the wheat crop are faced with a tough call — some of the crop is ready, and some… Read More
For many parts of the Prairies, it’s been a challenging growing season — especially when it comes to canola. A late spring, high-speed winds, hail damage, and too late and then late moisture have made for canola fields that have numerous stages in the same field. Whether producers are swathing or straight-cutting their canola, they… Read More