It’s hard to find a farmer these days who doesn’t see some of the benefits cover crops can bring to their operation. From reduced soil erosion to improved soil structure, nutrient recycling, moisture retention and much more – the list of benefits is long and impressive. But how much is too much? Where and when… Read more »
Category: Agronomy
Wheat School: Is that second herbicide application necessary?
Herbicide resistance is not new in Canadian agriculture, but managing it is becoming a higher priority as the scope of herbicide resistant weeds grows. In Western Canada, number one on the ‘economically important’ list is resistant wild oats, notes Bob Blackshaw, weed scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in this Wheat School episode. “It’s the… Read more »
High on hybrid rye
Rye is working hard to shed its reputation for lower yields, weak agronomics and poor standability when compared to other grain crops. With the arrival of new hybrid rye varieties in Ontario, it looks like rye’s days of being relegated to cover crop status in the province are over. Quite simply, growers, seed companies, agronomists… Read more »
Pulse School: A look at how pulses are faring in dry conditions
Mother Nature has given the prairies many different crop conditions this year, and Saskatchewan is no exception to this rule. For the most part, Saskatchewan pulse growers are seeing very dry conditions, although this has helped keep disease levels down, notes Sherrilyn Phelps, agronomy specialist with Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, in this latest Pulse School episode…. Read more »
Wheat Pete’s Word, July 19: White mold, rust, and a wonderful wheat crop!
A harvest update — yes, combines have started rolling in parts of Ontario — as RealAg agronomist Peter Johnson expresses his excitement for harvest in this week’s Word. There are also concerns about white mold, western bean cutworm, and aphids, to discuss. Learn about these issues, and much more, in this week’s episode of Wheat… Read more »
Corn School: ‘Wins’ of spring 2017
2017 may well be remembered for the spring that just kept on giving. From flooding to hail, Mother Nature threw just about every challenge imaginable at Ontario farmers during the early portion of the growing season. But despite difficult conditions that wreaked havoc on spring tillage, planting, weed control and nutrient application, farmers have persevered…. Read more »
New tool helps minimize phosphorus loss
When and how should you apply phosphorus for maximum crop production benefit while ensuring it stays put in the field? Answering these questions is a job for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ new phosphorus loss assessment tool, explains OMAFRA soil fertility specialist Jake Munroe. In this video, Munroe explains how the… Read more »
Pulse School: Checking up on disease development and nodulation
With variable conditions across the prairies, pulse crop development also varies, but many fields are either in flowering, or beginning to flower. In this Pulse School episode, Robyne Bowness-Davidson, pulse research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, fills us in on what she’s been seeing so far this season, and what growers should be keeping… Read more »
Wheat School: Keep watch for the Cereal Aphid Manager App
The decision to spray for aphids in cereal crops is complicated, as it requires not only scouting for and estimating aphid populations at a given moment, but predicting how those numbers will change due to weather and natural predators. The Cereal Aphids Manager App currently in development through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada aims to help… Read more »
Soybean School: Getting fungicide timing right
A stretch of sunny, dry weather in Ontario has soybeans on the comeback trail. That also means that soybean fungicide timing is sneaking up on many growers as the crop picks up steam in mid July. In this edition of RealAgriculture Soybean School, BASF agronomist Ken Currah takes a closer look at the soybean fungicide… Read more »
Wheat Pete’s Word, July 12: Corn fungicides, fertilizer strategies, and capitalizing on protein premiums
In this week’s episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, RealAg agronomist Peter Johnson highlights corn fungicides and western bean cutworm control. He also talks about what a fun ride the wheat market has been on — are there any management opportunity to capitalize on those protein premiums? Peter wraps up this episode discussing equipment and fertilizer… Read more »
Corn School: Managing western bean cutworm
It’s lining up to be a big corn pest year and the insect to watch for in the weeks ahead is western bean cutworm (WBC). In this edition of RealAgriculture Corn School, OMAFRA entomologist Tracey Baute explains that late planting across Ontario has left the young corn crop more susceptible to an increased number of… Read more »
Canola School: Gambling with nitrogen and the weather
Canola crops across the prairies are in many different stages — some are coming out of bloom, and some are still in the window where dribble banding nitrogen could work. When it comes to making nitrogen available to your canola crops, weather plays an imperative role. After all, wet conditions are the reason many acres… Read more »
Pulse School: Fusarium doesn’t just impact your wheat crops
When most producers hear the word “fusarium” they think of fusarium head blight, and how it impacts their wheat crops. Fusarium also attacks pulse crops, but in this situation, it goes after the roots. Fusarium avenaceum is the species that’s commonly associated with root rots in peas. It’s also a fungus that causes fusarium head blight… Read more »
Corn School: Fungicide strategies for 2017
When it comes to plant development and yield potential, Ontario’s corn crop is all over the map. With pollination quickly approaching, many growers are now wrestling with fungicide strategies for a highly variable crop. In this episode of RealAgriculture Corn School, BASF agronomist Ken Currah reviews the struggles of the 2017 crop and discusses where,… Read more »