Peter Johnson wishes farmers managed wheat more like corn. He admits that corn’s bigger yields and higher profitability creates more interest in intensively managing the crop, but that does not excuse growers from making good, basic wheat management decisions. One thing that drives Real Agriculture’s resident agronomist crazy is wheat growers who seed based on… Read More

Do wheat varieties perform in line with the ratings provided during the registration process? When it comes to fusarium head blight tolerance, the short answer is yes, but the long answer is it depends on the year. Holly Derksen, plant pathologist with Manitoba Agriculture, explains that the province has been tracking resistance performance of wheat… Read More

You may vary inputs based on field history or soil type, but have you considered treating your wheat differently, based on variety? It turns out that there are significant differences between how varieties respond to nitrogen, fungicide, and plant growth regulators. How a variety performs depends not just on its age, but where the background genetic… Read More

It’s been a long time since the last public research was conducted to support nitrogen fertilizer recommendations for wheat on the eastern side of the prairies. “The last time we did publicly-funded research on wheat yields and nitrogen fertilizer recommendations was actually about 45 years ago, so we were dealing with lower yielding wheat varieties… Read More

Growers topdressing melted urea to boost wheat protein should be asking their supplier whether it contains a contaminant that’s toxic to wheat, suggests a soil scientist at the University of Manitoba. With the introduction of higher yielding wheat varieties, there’s been new interest in applying post-anthesis nitrogen to wheat to boost protein content in Western… Read More

Before applying a plant growth regulator containing chlormequat to wheat, make sure you’ve confirmed you have a buyer willing to purchase it, because most of the major grain companies say they won’t. Potentially a valuable tool in reducing lodging, many growers are interested in applying Manipulator, a PGR introduced in Canada by Engage Agro in… Read More

As disease pressure mounts, fungicide applications to prevent fusarium head blight (FHB) have started in wheat across Western Canada. Effective FHB suppression comes down to timing and knowing where your target is, explains AgriMetrix spray application specialist Tom Wolf in this Wheat School episode. “We are specifically after the wheat head. We need an angled spray, typically a twin… Read More

Plant growth regulators are used for wheat production in many other parts of the world. While there are still issues with export market approval, there’s starting to be more awareness and application of PGRs in Canada. Chlormequat and ethephon-based PGRs are both commercially available in Canada, however the U.S. does not have an import tolerance established for chlormequat…. Read More

Inspired by the Canola Council of Canada’s work to encourage best management practices to meet customer expectations, Cereals Canada has launched its own Keep it Clean — Cereals campaign. “Rather than creating a stand-alone but similar brand, Cereals Canada has worked with the Canola Council of Canada to present a consistent message to producers across commodities,”… Read More

There are many factors that will make a wheat crop more likely to lodge — seeding rate, fertility, moisture levels, variety and so on, but when it comes to understanding lodging risk during the growing season, watch nighttime temperatures, says RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson. “At nighttime, what does wheat do? All it does is respire,”… Read More

In theory, the application of a plant growth regulator to wheat should result in shorter, stronger plants that are less prone to lodging, enabling higher yield potential. In reality, it’s not that simple. “I wish it was a nice black and white, straightforward story, but it certainly isn’t,” says Sheri Strydhorst, who’s done extensive work… Read More

So you’re looking to apply some late nitrogen to boost wheat protein. The recommended timing is immediately after anthesis, just a few days after applying fungicide to protect the head against fusarium head blight. Would it work to combine…? Don’t even think about it, says Dave Franzen, soil specialist at North Dakota State University. “To put… Read More

Researchers at the University of Saskatchewan are studying whether single kernel sorting technology is effective for salvaging fusarium-infected wheat, and ultimately, reducing the amount of waste in food production. Since acquiring a Swedish-made near-infrared seed sorter known as the BoMill TriQ in 2012, U of S researchers working together with the Canadian International Grains Institute have conducted… Read More

Grain is in the absolute best condition it can be when it’s put into storage. Keeping it that way is critical for maintaining its value and marketability. Insect infestations aren’t as big a problem for farmers in Canada as in other (read: warmer) parts of the world, but they can still cause significant damage. Typically, 1 to… Read More

 

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