When it comes to small plot trials, sometimes producers wonder how the data can be implemented onto their fields and used in a “real-life” format. Alberta Wheat and Barley Commissions are headed into the first year of their Plot 2 Farm program, which will conduct trials on wheat and barley on a larger scale. On… Read More
If you’re a wheat grower, chances are you’ve heard about thousand kernel weight (TKW) and how you should be using the number to fine-tune wheat seeding rates. Seeding will be here before we know it – now is a great time to figure out TKW on each seeding lot. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Wheat… Read More
It’s early spring and you’ve pegged the yield potential of your wheat crop at 125 bu/ac and now you have to manage it through the season and get it in the bin. What should you do? For the next six minutes you should watch the latest episode of RealAgriculture’s Wheat School with agronomist Phil Needham,… Read More
Georgia farmer Randy Dowdy established a new world record yield for soybeans in 2019, setting the bar at 190 bushel per acre on a 3.27 acre plot. While Dowdy now reigns as the ‘yield king’, Missouri farmer Kip Cullers helped blaze the trail for contest yield winners when he put up a 160.6 bushel per acre… Read More
If you’re a farmer on the prairies, there’s a good chance falling number at the elevator was brought up at least once over harvest. With that in mind, this episode of RealAgriculture’s Wheat School is focused on better understanding falling number and what — if anything — you can do when it comes to variety… Read More
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