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
Category: Fertility
If the world of soil biology had its own version of Facebook, crops like peas, lentils, corn and flax would be listed as “in a symbiotic relationship” with mycorrhizal fungi. The microscopic organisms help these crops access phosphorus in the soil. Wheat would probably be friends with mycorrhiza, as cereals see some benefit from having… Read More
Dry conditions at seeding followed by plenty of rain left some canola growers in Western Canada wondering if their canola had enough nitrogen to reach its yield potential. As a result, there was increased interest in top-dressing N on canola this growing season. As Jack Payne, regional agronomist with Farmers Edge, explains in this Canola… Read More
Would your canola crop benefit from a top-dress or rescue application of nitrogen? A tissue test will give you an idea of whether plants are deficient, but you’ll have to wait for results. As Jack Payne explains in this Canola School episode, there are now several versions of in-field sensors that help agronomists and growers assess… Read More
Leafhoppers out the ying-yang, fertility issues, double cropping soybeans, fungicide questions — it’s all in this week’s Word, as Peter Johnson, resident agronomist for RealAgriculture, shares his advice and answers your questions in this update for the week of June 22, 2016. Have a question for Wheat Pete? Call 1-888-746-3311, send him a tweet (@wheatpete),… 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
Fine-tuning nitrogen rates promises to get easier with the arrival of ‘tailgate technology’ that allows growers to test for nitrates on the tailgate of their truck. That means no more couriering soil samples to the lab, or waiting for up to three days for results in the busy season. In this episode of the Corn School,… Read More
Looking to add 15 to 20 bushels to your winter wheat yield? Depending on your base fertility level, seed-placed phosphorus could do the trick. In this episode of Wheat School, Real Agriculture resident agronomist Peter Johnson takes you on a tour of long-term phosphorus and potash trials at Lucan, Ontario. “In these research trials, we’re… Read More
What impact will a cool April have on nitrogen availability for Ontario’s corn crop? Will the hot late May weather speed up nitrogen release and help soil levels catch up? On this episode of Corn School, Real Agriculture agronomist Peter Johnson is joined by OMAFRA Corn Lead Ben Rosser to tackle these questions. Rosser says… Read More
Sulphur is needed to grow wheat in Ontario. It’s that simple, says Real Agriculture resident agronomist Peter Johnson. Sulphur deficiency was widespread in the province this year after one of the coldest and driest springs in the past 30 years. The cool temperatures tend to limit the amount of sulphur release, says Johnson who notes… Read More
Granular phosphorus fertilizer recovered from liquid hog manure could be a viable alternative to traditional 11-52 monoammonium phosphate (MAP) fertilizer for growing wheat and canola, according to research done at the University of Manitoba. Struvite “looks like a fantastic fertilizer,” says Don Flaten, U of M soil scientist and one of the authors of a… Read More
Early fungicide timing in wheat, varietal interactions with Group 14 soil-applied herbicides and how to prevent lodging in oats — it was almost a record-breaking week in terms of feedback after last week’s Word. Peter Johnson, resident agronomist for RealAg, returns to answer questions and share his agronomic insight as we get into the month of… Read More
Parts per million versus pounds per acre. Olsen versus Bray. Nitrogen versus nitrate… Some of the numbers and technical terms on the paper or email you get from the soil test lab are relevant for understanding nutrient availability for your crop and others don’t actually mean much for growing crops Western Canada. So which numbers are meaningful?… Read More
Ontario’s wheat crop saw incredible growth last fall, and spring fertilizer plans must be adjusted accordingly. With advanced wheat, nitrogen application should be delayed, explains Graeme Jones, an agronomist from New Zealand who helped set a previous world record wheat yield. Timing depends on nitrogen availability in the soil and crop size, he says, in this… Read More
Are you paying enough attention to your soil? That’s the first question Iowa crop consultant Michael McNeill asks farmers when they want to talk about how to increase soybean yields. “Soil health is vital to optimizing profits in any crop we try to grow. Without good soil health we don’t have a chance,” says McNeill…. Read More