Soil compaction — as many other topics and issues in agriculture — has no simple solution. Marla Riekman, soil management specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, says in this Canola School episode that soil compaction is “one of the hardest topics to discuss with farmers.” She says this is because the easiest solution is to stay off the field,… Read More
Category: Crop Schools
Ontario crops have experienced widespread hail damage in recent weeks and many growers are asking how they can minimize the yield impact. In this episode of RealAgriculture Corn School, agronomist Peter Johnson takes us to a field of eight-leaf corn that has been shredded by a recent hailstorm. He says at this stage, yield loss… Read More
Have you ever spotted an area of vigourous plants in your cornfield and wondered why they’re a growth stage or two ahead of neighbouring plants? There are plenty of agronomic insights we can glean from our fields to improve farm management and yield, says AGRIS Co-operative agronomist Dale Cowan. Quite often the opportunity is right… Read More
The idea of rolling soybeans got its start in many areas as producers looked for ways to push stones into the ground to keep them out of the combine at harvest. But could there be a yield benefit? When rolling soybeans, timing is important – both the growth stage and time of day. In this… Read More
As canola fields start to turn yellow, It may feel like it’s a long time away, but weknow all too well, harvest comes very quickly. And with harvest, comes harvest loss management. After a season full of nurturing crops to get the best possible outcome, we don’t always realize how much of the final product… Read More
Dan Foster has seen a lot of agronomic head scratchers in his career, but he witnessed a first in a cornfield near Sarnia, Ontario this spring. On this episode of Real Agriculture Corn School, Foster, Pride Seeds market development agronomist based at Chatham, takes you to a field with rootless corn syndrome. Foster describes how… Read More
It’s been a rugged start for Ontario’s soybean crop. With cool, wet growing conditions, late planting, insect feeding and soil crusting, many growers find themselves squarely behind the eight ball. According to OMAFRA soybean specialist Horst Bohner, most soybeans have been planted but some growers are still struggling to get seed in the ground. What… Read More
Aster yellows is a ‘phytoplasma’ disease carried by aster leafhoppers. It’s known for the odd-shaped canola pods it causes later in the growing season. Problems with aster yellows are hit and miss, depending on your area and the year. “We are kind of waiting for the next leafhopper infestation with aster yellows, the next big… Read More
Ontario’s cool, wet spring not only delayed planting, but also put the brakes on nitrogen mineralization, limiting the nutrient’s availability to the growing corn crop. According to OMAFRA pre-sidedress nitrate testing (PSNT) survey results released this week, corn growers are looking at the lowest rates of available nitrogen since the survey began in 2013. In… Read More
A “biopesticide” is defined as a living organism that’s capable of controlling a pest, including weeds. Dr. Susan Boyetchko, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Saskatoon, specializes in biopesticide technology, and she’s been working on a program to develop bio-based tools for controlling grassy weeds, such as wild oats and green foxtail. As she explains… Read More