Biologicals hold great promise for improving crop production. From increasing root activity, soil microbes, and nutrient availability to building plant resiliency to abiotic stresses — this emerging crop input segment is bursting with product choices. But for farmers, selecting which product and application is right for their acres can be a daunting and confusing task…. Read More

Diversity pays dividends in crop production but researchers, agronomists and farmers really don’t have a good grasp of how and why different crops impact each others in the rotation. University of Guelph crop researcher Dr. Dave Hooker is never shy to champion more diverse rotations. Research from long-term trials at the University of Guelph’s Ridgetown… Read More

Soybeans or corn? Which seed makes the most sense to plant first next spring? Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs soybean specialist Horst Bohner says good arguments can be made for planting either crop first. The best solution might be to buy a second planter and start rolling with both crops at the… Read More

When soybean plants lodge, bad things happen. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs soybean specialist Horst Bohner says growers are okay with the “power lean” — that’s when pod-laden plants tilt slightly under the weight of their bean bounty. “But when they start to get close to the ground, and really lean over,… Read More

Successfully securing funding for a new zero-till drill or a nitrogen-saving fertilizer treatment feels good, but one-off payouts to farmers as a funding model for advancing agriculture in the big picture is short-sighted, says Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson, RealAgriculture’s resident agronomist. Johnson is firmly on the side of funding big-picture research and extension. And for… Read More

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) has announced funding for two pulse-related genomic research projects, co-funded through Genome Canada’s Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems initiative (CSAFS). SPG’s $1.4 million will contribute to the  total pulse research and development investment of over $12.8 million for the two, four-year projects that aim to develop information and tools for breeding… Read More