It’s July and that means two things: sunburns and field tour season! Our apologies for this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word being posted a day late, but it was actually a field tour (and plot harvest) that pushed host Peter Johnson right to deadline. We promise it’s worth the wait, however, as this week’s episode is… Read more »
Category: Seed
Wheat School: CRISPR technology could be a boon for wheat breeding
Wheat breeding is a poor cousin when you compare it to the investment and resources corn and soybean plant breeders have at their disposal to develop new and improved plant genetics. The arrival of CRISPR technology, however, is giving wheat breeders hope that they may finally get a leg up on their big-crop cousins. At… Read more »
Soybean School: How Pre-till vs No-Till stack up for optimal plant stand counts
On the first day of summer how many soybean plants per acre are required to maintain 100 percent yield potential? The answer is simple – 150,000 plants per acre. But there are many management factors to consider when trying to hit that number. In this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food… Read more »
Canola School: Here comes the next generation of sclerotinia resistance
Each July canola growers are faced with the difficult question, “Should I or shouldn’t I spray for sclerotinia?” In the more humid parts of Western Canada, sclerotinia is a huge yield robber. It usually strikes on the years when the canola crop has its greatest yield potential, but spraying is expensive and proper timing can… Read more »
Corteva, Monsanto reach deal to sell Xtend soybeans under new Brevant brand
Monsanto and Corteva Agriscience — the newly-named agriculture division of DowDuPont — say they have reached a licensing agreement that clears the way for Corteva to offer Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans under its new Brevant seed brand in Canada. The non-exclusive, royalty bearing deal also allows Corteva to incorporate the stacked trait that combines… Read more »
Unapproved GM wheat plants discovered in Alberta
Update, June 29: The CFIA has published its incident report on the discovery of unapproved GM wheat plants in southern Alberta. The agency says it determined it was an isolated case, with no wheat entering the food or feed system, but that it was unable to determine where it came from: “The CFIA in cooperation with… Read more »
Canola School: Fertilizer toxicity may cause seedling death in dry conditions
Not only do dry soil conditions hamper seed germination, they also raise the risk of fertilizer toxicity for seedlings after they germinate, especially in a sensitive crop like canola. That means rates of fertilizer placed at seeding last year or the year before might not be safe this year, explains Don Flaten, soil scientist at… Read more »
Monsanto planning to release TruFlex canola in 2019
Monsanto Canada has announced it plans to finally commercialize its TruFlex canola trait in 2019. TruFlex has been approved in Canada and awaiting Chinese import approval since 2012, along with several other canola traits. It’s not clear what or if anything has changed, but Monsanto now says import approval from China “should be granted in… Read more »
Soybean School: Understanding the total yield cost of bin-run seed
There are certainly unknowns and risks that come with planting bin-run soybean seed versus certified seed, but one significant piece of information has been confirmed by crop insurance data in Manitoba: older, off-patent varieties don’t have the same yield potential as newer varieties. As Dennis Lange, pulse specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, points out in this… Read more »
Move away from neonics not reflected in MOECC corn planting statistics
Following significant restrictions by the Ontario government in 2015, seed corn companies in the province began to offer non-neonicotinoid seed treatment insecticide options. Now, a significant portion of corn seed sales carry non-neonicotinoid options. It’s bizarre then, that the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change recently published data showing only a 22% reduction in the amount… Read more »
Wheat School: Solve your tiller problem with N, not seeding rate
Wheat tillers are nothing but a well-camouflaged weed, right? Not exactly. While excessive tillering can cause grief for fungicide timing and harvest management, one tiller can actually pull its own weight and contribute to yield. How do you best manage for one or two tillers? Say it with us now: nitrogen! If you wanted to… Read more »
The SeedPod — Ep 15: What’s Seed Synergy?
Simply put, Seed Synergy is described as a process, not an entity. Those familiar with the inner workings of the seed industry have heard about Seed Synergy for quite some time, but those further out — and those on the farm — likely haven’t heard much. As Dan Wright, president of Canadian Seed Trade Association, explains… Read more »
Think transition, not succession
Despite armies of well-meaning accountants, bankers and consultants urging them to do so, many Canadian farm families don’t have a plan in place to transfer ownership between generations. It could be the word succession that’s getting in the way. This can imply an abrupt change, when the older generation is booted out to pasture and… Read more »
The SeedPod — Ep 14: The evolution of Alberta Seed Processors
Alberta has a unique part of the seed value chain in its Alberta Seed Processors organization. For many towns, the seed plant has been an integral part of the town’s economy and, in some cases, even helped build the town. As Monica Klaas, with the Alberta Seed Processors, explains, though, the role of the seed… Read more »
The Seedpod — Ep.13: The move to season-long testing
Farming is evolving into such a precise business, it only makes sense that soil, seed, and tissue testing and analysis all happen under one roof. That’s the thinking behind SGS Biovision — a new company formed when SGS bought Biovision Seed Labs late in 2017. The lab offers farmers a one-stop-shop for testing and diagnostics…. Read more »