Seeding (or planting for our eastern and southern friends) is the single most important pass you’ll make on your field this year. The piece of equipment you chose to place and pack seeds typically has to work for all the crops in your rotation, and that can mean using something better suited for large seeds… Read More
Category: Seed
Peter Johnson, wheat specialist with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, made quite the splash at Farm Tech last week. A regular in RealAgricutlure.com’s Wheat School, @WheatPete (as he’s known on Twitter) has very set views on maximizing wheat production, and he’s not afraid to tell a farmer, point blank, what that farmer… Read More
Results of a germination test are a must-have before heading to the field in the spring, but what about a vigour test? When should you order one and why? Holly Gelech, business development manager with Biovision Seed Labs, walks us through the major differences between the two tests, and how vigour tests may differ between… Read More
The post CWB monopoly environment has opened up a lot of interest in the CPS wheat class. Internationally recognized as having the high yield and good milling characteristics producers and industry are looking for, the wheat class is still quite small in Canada. The addition of AC Conquer VB to the Canterra Seeds line up… Read More
Harvest management and timing is always important, but for a shatter-prone crop like canola, it’s paramount to preserving yield in the field and the swath. As canola acres have jumped, so to has the rush at harvest to try and swath and harvest all of the acres at the optimum timing. That can prove a… Read More
Spring wheat may not be the highest acreage crop in Ontario, but it’s still an important crop for many, especially for those who need or sell straw. Choosing the right spring wheat variety takes a bit of research, but that research is easy to do with GoCereals.ca. In this video, Peter Johnson, OMAFRA’s wheat specialist,… Read More
The 2012 growing season was a positive one for soybean growers in all parts of the Prairies. It was also very hot and dry in many areas at harvest. As such, the crop came off dry to very dry. Soybeans are prone to cracking under these conditions, and the cracks aren’t always visible. The issue… Read More
Sometimes you just need more than germ and vigour seed testing. There are a variety of reasons why you may need a variety test, for example, or perhaps you need to know the parts per million of vomitoxin levels in fusarium damaged grain. Whatever the question or problem, there’s a seed test for it. In… Read More
One of the most frequently asked questions I get concerns dormancy — what causes it and how it impacts crops destined for seed use. Dormancy in cereals is the most common of all, and it can be quite troublesome in certain years. This year, growing conditions have been excellent and very little dormancy has… Read More
The Canadian Seed Trade Association has a lot on its plate. Newly elected President Steve Denys will be the first to tell you that. The association is working toward directing government policies that will help Canadian producers thrive at home and compete abroad in a fast paced, constantly changing arena. We spoke to Steve at… Read More
Time is money. When it comes to something like preinoculated seed, the convenience factor can save you valuable time and also the stress of being unsure of whether or not you properly applied your inoculant. In this video, Mike Verhoef answers some of the questions about preinoculated seed and talks about the benefits growers can… Read More
Faba bean, a very-high protein pulse crop, did very well under 2012 growing conditions. In fact, in many of the areas where the pea crop struggled, faba beans did quite well. Faba bean averages around 30% protein, making it an attractive feed ingredient. It’s also a common food ingredient in countries other than Canada. Bert… Read More
The vast majority of canola varieties grown on the Prairies are tolerant to some form of herbicide. Which makes sense, of course, as farmers immediately saw benefits to the technology and adopted the varieties en masse. But, like most things, there are trade-offs to the benefits of herbicide tolerance (HT). One of those is weed… Read More
The 2012 wheat crop looks quite good overall but tests so far have flagged some early problems in the crop: wheat midge damage, albeit at very low levels, is being found in samples from many areas of Manitoba not used to seeing the pest. Light bushel weights, a result of low moisture and high heat… Read More
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