As combines push through the Ontario corn crop, growers are being advised to focus their first harvest efforts on fields where gibberella fungus could produce higher levels of deoxynivalenol (DON) in the grain. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Corn School, agronomist Peter Johnson shares tips for identifying fields at higher risk for gibberella and… Read More
Category: Corn Disease Weeds Insects
Tar spot leaf disease has been a little tardy in 2023, but the later-arriving yield robber is still having an impact on the Ontario corn crop. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plant pathologist Albert Tenuta says a dry start to the growing year meant tar spot arrived a little late in 2023… Read More
A wet growing season plus high humidity and moisture at tasseling has many Ontario corn producers asking about the potential for ear mould and gibberella when combines start to roll at harvest. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Corn School, host Bernard Tobin is joined by PRIDE Seeds product manager Matt Chapple for a look… Read More
European corn borer wreaked havoc for decades in cornfields across North America before the adoption of transgenic traits (Bt) in the late 1990s effectively punched out the pest. Earlier this year at Southwest Crop Diagnostic Days at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown campus, Ontario ministry of agriculture entomologist Tracey Baute noted that the yield-robbing insect… Read More
What happens when a soil-applied herbicide application is followed by severe weather? For many herbicides it is business as usual, but in some cases a heavy rain can cause a typically safe product to injure the plant. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Corn School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs weed specialist Mike… Read More
What’s the best strategy for applying fungicide in highly variable corn fields where plants range in maturity from three to 10 leaves? That’s a question BASF agronomist Ken Currah tackles on this episode of the RealAgriculture Corn School. He says that’s been the story of many corn fields this year, especially on clay soils where… Read More
Certain herbicides have done plenty of heavy lifting when it comes to the fight against weeds over the last number of decades, but as herbicide resistance becomes more common, it’s important to spread out that workload whenever possible. Corn is often a crop where there are more herbicide options, explains Jeanette Gaultier, technical services specialist… Read More
A European corn borer (ECB) population in part of eastern Canada appears to have developed resistance to a Bt protein commonly used in North American corn hybrids for preventing damage from the pest. On April 27th, the Canadian Corn Pest Coalition reported a sample of ECB collected near Truro, Nova Scotia, showed reduced susceptibility to… Read More
Soil acidity is an issue that’s gaining attention in the Northern Plains, especially in areas where no-till practices have been paired with high surface-applied nitrogen rates. “They’re seeing this advancing a lot faster in parts of North Dakota and Montana, under traditional zero till conditions where they broadcast urea fertilizer. They find they’re acidifying the… Read More
Tar spot has been spreading across North American corn growing regions ever since the leaf disease was first detected in 2015. Characterized by tar-like speckling on the upper surface of corn leaves, the fungal pathogen can deliver yield hits ranging from 20 to 60 bushels per acre (in highly infected fields). On this episode of… Read More