Treating seed has not always been a common practice across the prairies , however, with increased disease pressure over the past few years it is something that should always be done. Remember, first and foremost you must start out with clean and certified seed! Treated seed is typically faster to germinate and pop out of… Read More
Every producer is looking for the edge when it comes to their crop. That’s all well and good, but it’s a pursuit that has to be balanced with a good level of realistic discernment. If that discernment isn’t there it can leave producers that are chasing that edge vulnerable to the “snake oil” or “silver… Read More
As producers get closer to planting their soybeans, now is the time to consider all of the potential issues the year may throw at you and how you can deal with them before you get the seed in the ground. If there is a history or a threat of insect pests or soil borne disease, a… Read More
There is a lot of money to be made in agricultural inputs these days and some companies do so by marketing products that offer little benefit agronomically to help your operation or bottom line. When attempting to try out some of these new products that include foliar sprays, seed primers and canola pod seal be… Read More
A good crop starts with good quality seed. As far as choosing that seed goes, most producers make that choice based on two factors, germ and vigour. Those two things are critical, but they don’t tell the whole story. The truth is that there are other unseen things that, if unaddressed can have a major… Read More
By Shaun Haney RealAgriculture.com has been at several plot tours and company meetings this summer and there is a definite common theme of product development trending amongst the life science companies. It appears that in the near term the agronomic innovation will be derived in the areas of seed enhancement and fungicides instead of herbicides…. Read More
Studies are underway to help winter wheat producers to improve production in a number of areas and to help expand the amount of acres being grown by farmers across the west. The two year study by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission will look at a number of factors that… Read More
If you’ve lived out west for any length of time, one of the things you’ve probably noticed is that farmers are pretty good at taking advantage of any opportunity they have to get their crop in the ground early. Around the clock seeding, multiple drills in fields and rotating shifts in the tractors are just… Read More
Originally looked upon as “snake oil” seed treatments have become an integral part of the production system. For the most part many farmers originally had trouble understanding the value because the action was underground. Farmers are used to using products like herbicides that kills weeds which is very visual. The action of seed treatments is… Read More
Spring is a very hectic time for farmers. As farmers know there are time on seed restrictions for inoculants. We have all been through the scenario of applying inoculants to your soybeans in the morning and by the afternoon it is pouring rain. As you can imagine this can be very stressful when you use… Read More
In recent years more and more farmers are looking at the growing season from a systems approach. In the past farmers and and suppliers for the most part considered most inputs independent of one another, working on their own piece of responsibility in the growing cycle. Many researchers, input suppliers and farmers are trying to… Read More
If you haven’t noticed seed companies are just as interested in the things being applied to the seed as the seed itself. This is due to the continued push towards looking at the full production cycle instead individual unconnected mutually exclusive events in the production cycle. At Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show I discussed this trend… Read More
My family’s seed business has seen a dramatic change in the importance of treating cereal seed on our customer’s farms. With the increase in research and commitment to ensuring seed and applicator safety the products available to the market have changed drastically. The products are not the only things changing these days. In order to… Read More
With the advent of the introduction of seed treatments like Helix Extra, we do not hear as much about flea beetles anymore. The reality is that they are still around and could have an impact on your yield. Forecasts for this pest are difficult and we require the pest to eat the plants in order… Read More
By Garth Donald, Dynagra We have to look back in history to understand how seed treatments came to be. Some of the first seed treatment goes as far back to when the first settlers came to North America. This was just by accident that some of the seed bags fell in the salt water and… Read More