Hot days and warm nights have produced lots of head snag in Ontario winter wheat fields. RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson explains that a string of 30-degree days and 20-degree nights earlierthis spring promoted rapid growth in wheat fields just as the wheat crop was heading out. Those are perfect conditions for head snag. “Some of… Read more »
Category: Crop Management WSE
Wheat School: How to manage late-arriving stripe rust
Stripe rust is back again in Ontario wheat fields for the third consecutive year. The leaf disease first showed up in the province in 2016, and earlier this week Agromart agronomist Nicole Bloetjes reported 2018’s first stripe rust sighting in a field near St. Marys. Should wheat growers be concerned? What should you do? In… Read more »
Wheat School: Which is the best streamer nozzle?
What’s the best choice of streamer nozzle? It’s a question RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson is asked countless times every year. Well, here’s the answer. In this episode of the RealAgriculture Wheat School, WheatPete puts on his suit and gloves and heads to the field to show us how three-stream, five-stream and seven-stream nozzles compare. He also… Read more »
Wheat School: Solve your tiller problem with N, not seeding rate
Wheat tillers are nothing but a well-camouflaged weed, right? Not exactly. While excessive tillering can cause grief for fungicide timing and harvest management, one tiller can actually pull its own weight and contribute to yield. How do you best manage for one or two tillers? Say it with us now: nitrogen! If you wanted to… Read more »
Wheat School: When does your crop need spring nitrogen?
It’s late March and it’s cool in Ontario. Are you thinking about applying nitrogen to your winter wheat crop? If so, don’t mention it to RealAgriculture resident agronomist Peter Johnson – he may have a conniption. After he stops shaking, WheatPete will tell you that there is no benefit to putting nitrogen on wheat until… Read more »
Wheat School: Boosting protein with dissolved urea
The price of wheat is down, yes, but there are premiums for protein, and RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson thinks there’s an opportunity to cash in. In this episode of the Wheat School, Johnson looks at new nitrogen research from University of Manitoba researcher Amy Mangin. It provides evidence of how growers can pump up their protein… Read more »
Wheat School: ‘Real’ Wheat Farmers — Hugh Dietrich
Peter Johnson is back with another episode in our ‘Real’ Wheat Farmers series. This time our RealAgriculture’s resident agronomist is gleaning management tips from Hugh Dietrich who farms with his family at Lucan, Ontario. Dietrich’s advice for Johnson starts with the need to put phosphorus down with wheat in the fall. Tile drainage is also a… Read more »
Wheat School: The key to planting in dry soils
Whatever you do, get out there and plant your wheat. That’s the message agronomist Peter Johnson has for Ontario wheat growers in this episode of the Wheat School. “Either plant into moisture or plant in dust,” says Johnson, who notes that many growers across the province are hesitant to plant because of widespread dry soil conditions…. Read more »
Wheat School: ‘Real’ Wheat Farmers — Shawn Schill
Not often do you hear of wheat outyielding corn, but that’s the case in our latest episode in the ‘Real’ Wheat Farmers series. RealAgriculture resident agronomist Peter Johnson can barely contain himself when Arthur, Ontario farmer Shawn Schill of Shawridge Farms tells him that one 200-acre field yielded 154 bu/ac of wheat, beating the average corn… Read more »
Wheat School: Stripe rust here to stay, but help is on the way
Stripe rust was back in Ontario wheat fields again in 2017. This year the presence of the disease was first confirmed in Essex County by AGRIS Co-operative. This marks the second consecutive year the disease has devastated farm fields in the province. But help is on the way. In this edition of RealAgriculture Wheat School,… Read more »
Wheat School: Late nitrogen pumps up protein and profits
Surging wheat markets mean there’s plenty of profit potential in high protein wheat, and Peter Johnson has some tips to help you cash in on those premiums. In this episode of RealAgriculture Wheat School, Johnson, our resident agronomist and shameless wheat promoter, shares protein management insights for growers in Western Canada and spring wheat growers… Read more »
Wheat School: New FHB1 varieties offer better fusarium control, agronomics and yield
The FHB1 gene for fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance has been around for some time, but now it’s available in stronger agronomic varieties that deliver yield punch. That’s good news for North American wheat growers, says Bryan Gerard of Indiana-based Gerard Seed Solutions. In this episode of RealAgriculture Wheat School, Gerard explains that the FHB1… Read more »
Wheat School: Can you do more to control fusarium?
Are you looking to step up your fusarium control measures this spring? In this episode of RealAgriculture Wheat School, resident agronomist Peter Johnson reviews the basics of managing fusarium in Ontario’s wheat crop and also offers some tips on how growers can elevate their control efforts. For Johnson, effective fusarium control starts with the basics:… Read more »
Wheat School: Nitrogen stays put in cold, wet conditions
It’s been cold and it’s been raining… and raining. Does your wheat crop need more nitrogen? The answer is no, according to agronomist Peter Johnson. In this edition of RealAgriculture Wheat School, Johnson says despite the weather growers who have already applied 120 to 130 pounds of nitrogen to fields should be in good shape…. Read more »
Wheat School: Should you spray for rust?
Both stripe rust and leaf rust have been identified in the Ontario wheat crop. Will it affect your crop? What steps should you take to keep your crop safe from these leaf diseases? In this episode of RealAgriculture Wheat School, resident agronomist Peter Johnson explains that stripe rust should be a concern for all growers… Read more »