I promise at some point to jump off this Rotation Bandwagon and start talking about something else agronomy-related, but for now, humour me while I beat this ailing-but-still-alive-but-just-barely horse. Where was I? Oh, yes. Rotation. In my last podcast, featuring Randy Kutcher, we learned many things about plant pathology — how genetic resistance to a… Read More
Category: Seed
As May ticks away, farmers in Ontario continue to wrestle with difficult planting conditions. In this episode of the Agronomy Geeks Ontario podcast, Bernard Tobin and Syngenta agronomic sales manager Shawn Brenneman discuss the pace of #plant14 and the decisions farmers are facing. As of May 21, Brenneman estimates that 40 to 50 percent of… Read More
Have you walked your canola fields shortly after emergence only to find several seedlings struggling and dying off or found seeds rotting in the furrow? Even treated seed can’t fully overcome the pressure of the seedling disease complex endemic to all of Western Canada’s canola growing region, especially if canola is seeded too deep or… Read More
Did you know that wheat seed that has been negatively impacted by glyphosate application will show no visible signs of damage? So though you may be able to see mechanical damage, there are many factors that hide beneath the surface, including disease presence and susceptibility. That’s why it’s important to send seed for a test that goes… Read More
By Karen Lewis As farmers across the central U.S. corn belt scramble to prevent the spread of western corn rootworm resistance to Bt corn, Prairie wheat growers are being urged to be diligent in their stewardship efforts to protect midge tolerant wheat technology. “Resistance to corn rootworm technology is really a cautionary tale for Prairie… Read More
Results from a seed test could shape several management decisions made at seeding — from fine-tuning the seeding rate to determining the viability of the seed lot for seed at all. Though damaged seeds and vigour issues can be assessed, arguably the biggest factor for consideration in seed test results is the type and level… Read More
Canola seed size has climbed in recent years from a once-common 4 grams per 1,000 kernel weight to north of 7 grams per 1,000 seeds. What does that mean to you, the farmer? It means that if you’ve stuck with your typical four pounds per acre seeding rate (and there are good reasons to do… Read More
As seeding approaches, one of the most common topics I hear discussed is vigour. A vigourous plant stand comes from a healthy seed that is out of the ground and competing in a timely fashion. This can mean fewer days to maturity, quicker ground cover, better weed competition, a more robust rooting system better able… Read More
By Bernard Tobin When Cairo Prince breaks from the starting gate at the Florida Derby on March 29, the colt will be racing to the finish line with a little help from certified seed. Bettors will likely send the undefeated three-year-old colt off as the favourite in the race at Florida’s Gulfstream Park, which is… Read More
Should you double up on soybean inoculant? Do you go full rates of both or half? Should you worry about some sort of extender if the soybeans sit for three weeks before popping up? For farmers (and ground!) new to growing soybeans, there are several things to consider when inoculating soybeans ahead of the growing… Read More