The soybeans are in the bin (or very nearly) which means it’s now time to think about…2013. Well, take a break first, but while you’re harvesting corn or otherwise winding down from a busy harvest season, there are key soybean production decisions best made between now and the end of the year. David Townsend, product… Read More
Category: Seed Treatment
We’ve talked before about the power of inoculants in establishing a healthy plant. Hearing is one thing, but in most cases seeing is believing. Right now is a great time to get out in the field and see if that inoculant has done its job. SEE MORE SOYBEAN SCHOOL. There is no substitute for getting… Read More
We’ve talked before about the damage the pea leaf weevil can do, but the current economics of peas add a sense of urgency to producers scouting and control strategies. With pea prices being as strong as they are currently, the economic threshold for spraying for the pest is lower than it ordinarily would be. Taking… Read More
There is no silver bullet solution when it comes to fusarium. The disease is widespread and can be devastating if it’s left unchecked or handled incorrectly. When it comes to management and control of the disease, the best bet any producer has involves an integrated approach. That approach involves three key steps that together give… Read More
Any type of disease that affects the seedling stage of canola has to be taken seriously. Seedling blight can be devastating to your canola crop before or after germination. Knowing what you’re looking for and how to deal with it can put you in a position to assess your risk and take action that can… Read More
I have written before that the future is in seed treatments and fungicides for the traditional crop protection companies. The additional point that I should of included is the growth potential for the biological market in the seed treatment product area. The interesting point is that biologicals are designed to work in conjunction (stacking) with… Read More
Applying seed treatment isn’t what it used to be. Long gone are the days when someone would yell “turn up the red!” as the seed came out of the treater. There is a lot more than just a visual O.K. that goes into treating your seed properly. Over application isn’t cost effective and under applying… Read More
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