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
Category: Corn Disease, Weeds & Insects
Protecting your corn crop from disease throughout the growing season can be a challenge. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Corn School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plant pathologist Albert Tenuta and University of Guelph associate professor Dave Hooker team up to offer tips on how to select a fungicide and stage the… Read More
Tar spot is taking a bite out of yields in some Ontario corn fields but there is hope that growers will have effective tools to manage the leaf disease. Characterized by tar-like speckling on the upper surface of corn leaves, the fungal pathogen has been delivering yield hits ranging from 20 to 60 bushels per… Read More
Corn rootworm can be a major yield-robber and this year more than most, it’s on everyone’s minds. Amanda Craven, agronomist at PRIDE Seeds is joined by Bernard Tobin for this Corn School episode to talk resistance management, how rotation helps, and how corn rootworm affects yield. “What we’re seeing this year, in our corn-on-corn fields,… Read More
Perennials and winter annuals like dandelions, shepherd’s purse, and even chickweed can be tough to control at the best of times. So, what can make a perennial and winter annual weed control strategy more effective in corn? Going back to a previous conversation between Rob Miller, agronomist at BASF, and Bernard Tobin about using tillage… Read More
Corn is often described as a diva. It can thrive in the right conditions, but it does not like competition. That’s especially evident when corn plants have to compete with weeds for moisture in dry conditions, as seen in Western Canada and the Northern Plains of the U.S. in 2021. “There have been many studies… Read More
While it’s important to stay current on new and emerging diseases of the corn crop, it’s still important to keep tabs on the old standbys, such as northern corn leaf blight. “We know the weather’s been favourable for diseases, and we get lots of calls on that,” says Alberta Tenuta, plant pathologist at OMAFRA. There’s… Read More
When it comes to strip tilling, is it better to plant corn into fall strips or spring strips? Ben Rosser, corn lead with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, has been working on this question for a while now, and in this Corn School episode, Bernard Tobin catches up with him in… Read More
There is tremendous yield potential in Ontario corn fields right now. With recent rainfalls, subsoil moisture has been replenished and the crop has jumped in the last few days. Great looking acres and strong corn prices both weigh into the decision to apply fungicides. In this Corn School episode, Bernard Tobin is joined by BASF… Read More
Proper staging is critical when applying in-crop herbicides in corn, but there are multiple ways to measure corn’s growth stages, and herbicide labels don’t always use the same method. Agronomists often use the “leaf collar” — or V-stage — method to describe growth stages, while others use plant height. However, herbicide labels often refer to… Read More