For more than 10 growing seasons, some fields around Midale, Saskatchewan, have looked just a little different. Instead of solid fields of yellow canola or green pea stands, those traveling through might think they’re seeing both. And that’s because they are. Intercropping — the practice of growing two or more crops at the same time… Read More
Category: Crop Schools
Verticillium wilt is a well known global disease that impacts many different crops. Verticillium stripe, however, is a lesser-known disease and one impacting canola, specifically. They may have similar names, however, they are not nearly the same disease, and it’s important to know that when discussing the disease, says Clint Jurke of the Canola Council… Read More
The biological market in agriculture is growing exponentially, as many companies are investing in development and introducing products that contain bacteria or fungi that are supposed to provide a significant benefit to a farmer’s crop or soil. It’s up to farmers and their agronomists and retailers to not only determine whether a biological product works… Read More
When heavy summer rains arrive, Albert Tenuta’s phone starts to ring. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plant pathologist started hearing from growers across the province in late June as soil-borne disease moved into many soybean fields after a series of pounding rain events. When soybeans get wet feet in early summer,… Read More
Some herbicides aren’t very effective at controlling a weed like horsetail, but when you combine two poor-performing products, they can deliver a surprising level of control. In weed science terms, this ability of different active ingredients to team up and deliver a knockout blow is called herbicide synergy. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean… Read More
When looking at any pesticide label there should be three words that make you stop, think, and mark the calendar: pre-harvest interval. The pre-harvest interval — PHI — is the minimum time necessary between application of a product and cutting the crop, either by swathing or straight-cutting. As Sheri Strydhorst explains in this RealAgriculture Wheat… Read More
Growers looking for disease and weed control in winter wheat will often apply a herbicide-fungicide tank mix at the four-leaf stage (T1). This strategy helps defend the crop against early-season diseases such as powdery mildew and also tackles problem weeds, but there may be other benefits such as protecting the crop from a frosty springtime… Read More
Ground beetles are some of the most abundant natural enemies for crop insect pests, but their free services in the field often remain overlooked and under-appreciated, says an entomology professor from the University of Manitoba. “They’re far more abundant than most people realize, but many of our species are really restricted to the ground and… Read More
Drought or even just dry conditions can significantly impact a crop’s ability to make use of applied fertilizer. What happens when there’s plenty of nitrogen left in the soil ahead of rotating to pulses? That’s the question being asked in a trial happening across three Saskatchewan sites through the Agri-ARM research network. Mike Brown, agronomy… Read More
Understanding each field’s soil is key to maximizing yield potential. That’s the philosophy Fieldwalker Agronomy’s Jonathan Zettler takes to the field when advising clients on how to best manage the unique environments throughout their farms. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Soil School, host Bernard Tobin catches up with Zettler at Luymes Farms at Moorefield,… Read More
When it comes to producing seed corn, managing pollination and effectively detasseling the crop are critical steps in maintaining genetic purity and seed quality. To get the job done, seed companies use a combination of technology and old fashioned boots on the ground to remove female tassels to ensure they get the unique hybrids they… Read More
Growing a new crop can be tricky for a number of different reasons. There are so many unknowns, and at the end of the day, a farmer needs to know they will make a profit off the crop. Robyne Bowness Davidson, pulse specialist at Lakeland College, has been working with lupins for 20 years. The… Read More
Soybeans don’t like wet feet, and when rain is plentiful in June and July, saturated soils typically lead to an increase in fungal seedling diseases. Four of the most common culprits are pythium and phytophthora root rots as well as rhizoctonia and fusarium. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,… Read More
It only takes 15 seconds for a summer hailstorm to terrorize a soybean field and turn a great-looking crop into a nightmare. But soybeans are tough, as we discover on this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School where we catch up with AGRIS Co-operative agronomist Dale Cowan near Mount Brydges, Ont., after a mid-July hailstorm…. Read More
Agronomic strategies that maximize fertilizer efficiency should be good for a farm’s financial bottom line and the environment, but specific decisions about how fertilizer is applied should be made with the overall outcome in mind, stresses Marla Riekman, soil management specialist with Manitoba Agriculture. The 4Rs — the right source at the right rate, right… Read More