Small variances add up when it comes to data — a few percentage point difference could mean choosing the wrong variety or leaving huge bushels on the table. But what makes for strong data and why does it matter so much? From trial designs and reps, to site selection, and the importance of calibrating equipment,… Read More
Category: Agronomy
Kubota expects to make fruit harvesting drones available to North American fruit farmers as early as 2025. The autonomous flying harvesters captured lots of attention at Agritechnica ’23 as the equipment manufacturer showed off the potential of its collaboration with technology developer Tevel. In this video interview with RealAgriculture’s Bernard Tobin, Kubota representative Sumit Joshi… Read More
What’s worse than corn becoming a mess in the field? Corn becoming a mess in a bin or silo! On that not-so-happy note, we kick off this week’s episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, where host Peter Johnson makes an apology for a mistake, encourages everyone to send in plot results, and runs down answers to… Read More
Agritechnica can be like Christmas for someone who closely follows new developments in agriculture technology, as the relevant companies from around the world show off their latest innovations at the show. The RealAgriculture team caught up with our friend and spraying expert Tom Wolf of Sprayers101 to discuss his observations on the ground in Germany…. Read More
Field Bindweed is a heavily-vined, troublesome weed that can cause growers headaches when it gains a foothold in soybean fields. On this edition of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs weed specialist Mike Cowbrough looks at control options for the perennial pest in both identity-preserved (IP) and conventional soybeans…. Read More
James Hammerton is looking for innovative ways to increase crop production efficiency. Hammerton, who farms with his family at Sweaburg, Ont., first appeared on The Sharp Edge in 2020 to share how he uses a stripper header to harvest and prepare wheat fields for double crop soybeans. In 2023, he returns to the program with… Read More
Mother Nature is not smiling on Ontario corn growers trying to get the ’23 crop out of the field. Concern over increasing DON levels is high and dry-down is slow. Plus, there’s concern over rutting or compacting the fields if conditions stay wet. That’s just one conversation in this week’s episode of Wheat Pete’s Word… Read More
There’s a sense of satisfaction after tile has been installed and a field has a new drainage system. With sufficient outlet for drainage water movement, farmers can look forward to a more manageable, productive field and higher crop yields. But a new drainage system is not a “one and done” type of thing, says drainage… Read More
Aphanomyces is a destructive, persistent root disease of pulses that’s wreaking havoc on pea and lentil crops in Saskatchewan, Montana and North Dakota. In the last 20 years, pulses have become a very common rotation crop for these areas, as they do well in dry conditions. However, with the introduction of more pea and lentil… Read More
Like the Christmas decorations coming out at Costco, it feels like the variety and hybrid line-up decision keeps moving earlier and earlier each year. For some farmers, early decisions are vital in order to secure the exact variety, treatment, and trait package, but that decision is sometimes made before the current-year’s data is compiled. To… Read More
Cover cropping is a rare practice for much of North America’s Great Plains, as a general lack of moisture has limited their use on a large scale. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t producers using cover crops successfully in rotation. In this episode of the Soil School, fellow Prairie dweller Kelvin Heppner tours the… Read More
When a field of winter gets knocked down, don’t count it out. RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson says the 2022/23 crop is a perfect example of how winter wheat can absorb multiple agronomic and environmental blows and still get off the mat to deliver a big yield punch. On this episode of RealAgriculture Wheat School, Johnson… Read More
As combines push through the Ontario corn crop, growers are being advised to focus their first harvest efforts on fields where gibberella fungus could produce higher levels of deoxynivalenol (DON) in the grain. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Corn School, agronomist Peter Johnson shares tips for identifying fields at higher risk for gibberella and… Read More
More than just a friendly competition, the Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network is designed to better understand all the external factors and management decisions that drive wheat yields. Marty Vermey, senior agronomist for Grain Farmers of Ontario, says the network is about not just who grows the most wheat, but also about what’s the real… Read More
Canada has a global reputation of having abundant, clean water, and water is essential for life and for food security. A new report from the Canadian Agriculture Policy Institute (CAPI) takes a look at Canada’s water resource and whether or not it’s being managed to the full benefit of Canadians. Tyler McCann, managing director of… Read More