Genetics and fungicides are the two pillars of disease defence when it comes to yield robbers like tar spot. But weather and technology also play a key role in helping growers defend their crops against the foliar disease. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Corn School, Ontario Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Agribusiness pathologist Albert… Read More
Category: Corn School
There are a multitude of considerations and decisions to make when choosing the right corn hybrid for each field. When silage is the goal, it’s important to consider soil type, environmental conditions, pest pressures, and where possible, an idea of how well corn grew in that field previously. In this episode of RealAgriculture’s Corn School,… Read More
As tar spot continues to spread northeast across Ontario’s corn region, growers are looking to build a better defence against the yield-robbing leaf disease. Crop genetics and fungicide will likely be the one-two punch growers use to control the disease, which is characterized by tar-like speckling on the upper surface of corn leaves. The fungal… Read More
Why is it so important for corn growers to get their combine settings right before they roll into the field to harvest grain? University of Guelph Ridgetown College instructor and combine mechanic TJ Poehlman has a simple answer to that question. He says when growers are paying $800,000 or more for a combine and the… Read More
As the 2024 Ontario corn crop races to the finish line with help from a late summer stretch of hot weather, growers are now seeing the challenges created by spring planting conditions and pest and disease pressures. In some parts of the province, growers were able to get corn in the ground in late April,… Read More
Field research shows that the best time to tackle tar spot with a fungicide is the VT/RI stage of corn development — when the tassel is visible and silks are emerging. That’s the case again this year, says Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness plant pathologist Albert Tenuta. He’s been testing fungicide treatments to… Read More
Like most crops, a strong, high yielding corn crop depends on what nutrients are in the soil. Knowing what is currently in the field is key to deciding how much of what to add in. With corn being a such a big, high-yielding plant, this crop is particularly reliant on a high amount of nitrogen,… Read More
Corn plants need boron throughout the growing season. The uptake curve for the micronutrient is pretty linear from emergence to black layer, but making boron available in the ear later in the season, where it plays an important role in sugar movement and developing kernels, can be difficult. The challenge, says AGRIS Co-operative senior agronomist… Read More
After a mild winter, many growers and agronomists had to tackle some very large dandelions during the 2024 growing season. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Corn School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Farming and Agribusiness weed management specialist Mike Cowbrough shares best practices to control the pesky perennial broadleaf weed. “First of all, it’s always… Read More
Why on earth should corn growers take a page out of wheat growers’ handbook? Paul Sullivan of Sullivan Agro near Kinburn, Ont., says there are management lessons learned in wheat that apply to corn production, too. It all comes down to managing stress at key points in the growing season. Looking to the Great Lakes… Read More