Lethbridge College has been busy digging in to new research initiatives, including work into irrigation. The Mueller Irrigation Research Group at the college, headed up by Dr. Willemijn Appels, has been focusing on three main areas of precision irrigation as of late: canal systems, subsurface drip irrigation, and variable rate irrigation. Appels spoke recently at… Read More
Category: Research
Are drop hoses that travel through the canopy the best way to apply in-crop fungicides? That’s a question Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) application technology specialist Jason Deveau has worked on for the past four years. It all started in 2019 when Deveau joined forces with OMAFRA plant pathologist Albert Tenuta… Read More
Ahh, the wonders of healthy soil. From water-holding capacity, pest and disease regulation, to nutrient cycling and physical stability, a robust and resilient soil gives farmers a huge advantage in crop production. But what makes a healthy soil? How can we measure its fitness and whether it’s in top farming shape? That’s a question soil… Read More
Variety choice and planting dates are two key factors that drive soybean yield. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Soybean School, host Bernard Tobin asks whether later-maturing soy varieties are required for the highest yields and whether growers should plant soybeans before corn. For some answers, Tobin is joined by Michigan State University soybean educator Mike… Read More
How can farmers adapt to changing weather and the impact it has on their farms? The ability to modify and reshape the farm to reflect a changing climate will be greatly impacted by land and soil type, location and farming practices, says Ohio State University climate researcher Dr. Aaron Wilson. He believes a key success… Read More
Highly engaged wheat growers wanting to learn how to grow better wheat are driving expansion of the Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN). Coordinated by the Grain Farmers of Ontario, Michigan State University, Michigan Wheat Program, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the University of Guelph, the Great Lakes YEN project… Read More
Protecting grain crops from costly plant diseases and making crop production more resilient to climate change are two goals a new $2-million gift to the University of Guelph from Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO). Announced at the close of the Ontario Agricultural Conference, the funding will support a new GFO professorship in field crop pathology… Read More
How can growers push wheat yields to new levels? That’s a question we asked many times on RealAgriculture Wheat School during 2022. Throughout the season wheat researchers, agronomists and growers weighed in offering insights from research sites and farms in eastern and western Canada. Here’s a look back at what we learned. On our first… Read More
The Christmas presents have been opened and you’ve finished the turkey leftovers. What’s next for the holidays? Why not binge soybean videos! The RealAgriculture Soybean School published 30 videos in 2022 and here’s your chance to see what you missed or do a double take on your favourite episodes. The 2022 season kicked off with… Read More
Harry Stoddart will take the helm of the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) on January 16, 2023. That’s when Stoddart becomes the executive director of OSCIA, taking over from Andrew Graham who plans to retire in June 2023 after a six-month transitional period. Stoddart brings a unique combination of leadership experience in not-for-profit… Read More
Researchers look to solve problems ahead of time, including trying to find solutions to emerging pests, or expanding markets both locally and globally. Doug Heath, research manager for Sask Canola, says that right now, the eleven ongoing Agriculture Development Fund projects range from disease resistance to abiotic stress of canola. When it comes to diseases,… Read More
Farmer-designed research is a collaborative way of solving problems and innovating based on farmer’s own experiences and needs. Louis Longchamps, a professor of digital agronomy at Cornell University, says that effective design of on-farm research is important to get the most out of the work. He points out that farmers already collect plenty of rough… Read More
Fungicides are a key tool in the tar spot management toolbox. But what’s the best time for growers to apply a fungicide to get optimal control of the disease and the best return on their crop protection investment? On this episode of the RealAgriculture Corn School we catch up with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food… Read More
What’s the best way to manage corn residue to mitigate soybean yield loss in a no-till system? That’s a question University of Wisconsin Madison soybean specialist Shawn Conley hears more and more from growers as both corn yield and the biomass produced by more prolific hybrids continues to grow. On this episode of the RealAgriculture… Read More
When it comes to feeding soybeans, investing in potash will give growers the best bang for their fertility buck. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Soybean Specialist Horst Bohner looks at potash soil test values to determine how soybeans respond economically to the nutrient. Bohner… Read More