When send soil samples for testing, what do you ask for? If you’re following Ross McKenzie’s advice, there’s likely some real value in testing more than just nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulphur (NPKS). The former soil scientist with Alberta Agriculture says it’s not too late to test soil this year, as frozen ground may require… Read More
It’s time for farmers to be thinking about seeding winter wheat, but many questions still remain around the crop such as: when do I seed it? What sort of yields can I expect? How frost resistant is the variety? Always top of mind for this crop, too, is fertility — how much is enough and… Read More
Cooler temperatures across Western Canada have brought about some challenges — one of them being a delay in wheat maturity. Crops are at variable stages, even within a single field. Producers considering a pre-harvest glyphosate application on the wheat crop are faced with a tough call — some of the crop is ready, and some… Read More
What’s good for wheat growth is good for wheat midge, says research scientist Tyler Wist, of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, based at Saskatoon, Sask. What’s more, these tiny pests can cause big issues, even in very low numbers, so scouting is one key aspect of management. In this edition of RealAgriculture’s Wheat School, Wist also… Read More
Fusarium head blight is one of the most harmful diseases of wheat and also one of the most challenging to manage. Researchers are continuously trying to figure out the best control methods since it’s one of those diseases that if you see it in your crop, you are most likely too late. In this Wheat… Read More
The Harrington Seed Destructor made its foray into Canadian agriculture in 2014, offering with it an opportunity to increase integrated pest management strategies on-farm, by mechanically reducing weed seed banks at harvest. It is now into its third year of a research study looking at its impact on weed populations over time. In this Wheat… Read More
In Western Canada, spray 2019 is full speed ahead, and fungicide timing is at the forefront of many producers’ minds. For a crop like wheat, it’s essential to stay ahead of leaf diseases to get the maximum yield output from your crop. Each leaf on a wheat plant provides a different contribution to yield, so… Read More
Many producers across the Prairies are spraying — whether they are starting, finishing, or somewhere in the middle. With unpredictable weather, many are asking the question: We want to spray, but the canopy is wet. Should we go? According to Tom Wolf, of AgriMetrix Research and Training, the answer isn’t as simple as one may… Read More
If you are planning on applying a plant growth regulator to your wheat crop, you are most likely aware that proper timing is critical to success. But how do we know when that timing is right to get the most out of your crop? In this episode of RealAgriculture’s Wheat School, Jeremy Boychyn, agronomy research… Read More
The cereal leaf beetle is a relatively new pest of cereals in Alberta, first spotted in 2005. And, if you are Dr. Haley Catton, research scientist in cereal crop entomology with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, you’ll describe these creatures as a “beautiful, small, jewel-like beetle.” Those doing the scouting might not be so enamoured by… Read More
Seeding; the time of year when we put the crop in the ground, help it as much as we can, and then when we can do nothing more for the upcoming crop — we wait. Producers are continuously wondering how many of the seeds put in the ground will emerge and become viable plants. In… Read More
There’s more reason than ever to make sure you’re setting your wheat seeding rate in weight or seeds per acre versus a “bushels per acre” rule of thumb. That’s because of a few things, says Dr. Brian Beres, with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Lethbridge. First off, the genetic yield potential of wheat has improved over… Read More
If you always wait for the calendar to hit late April or early May before seeding wheat, you could be leaving yield on the table or at the very least making the seeding season more hectic than it has to be. Multi-year ultra-early seeding research out of Alberta suggests that early March seeding and maybe… Read More
Can Ontario winter wheat growers mix ammonium thiosulphate (ATS) with herbicides and fungicides to address sulphur deficiency symptoms or should they apply it separately with streamer nozzles? That’s a question Mike Cowbrough and Joanna Follings wanted to answer with 2018 research plots. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs weed specialist and cereals… Read More
Nature is pretty amazing, but that wonder and adaptability can translate to a huge problem in a crop. Wireworms, for example, can determine they don’t like what is on the menu when you seed your crop in the spring, wait until the following spring, and attack a more vulnerable crop instead. What’s more, they can… Read More