Planting across Ontario is nearing completion in many regions, but excessive rain continues to stall progress in some areas, leaving farmers to contemplate switching intended corn acres to soybeans. It’s a decision that has significant cropping implications, says RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson, and he wants growers to look at all the potential impacts before making… Read More
Category: Seed
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s third and final ruling announced Friday on gene-editing for crop variety development clears the path for this precise, cost-effective plant breeding tool to be used in Canada. Does this mean farmers will have access to new drought-resistant or nitrogen-efficient varieties for next year? Not so fast, says Krista Thomas, vice-president… Read More
The premise behind why a good healthy plant stand is important when battling flea beetles in canola is simple: the fewer beetles per plant, the less likely they’re going to damage more than 25 per cent of the total leaf area. In dry conditions, too much seed-placed fertilizer can hurt that plant stand and help… Read More
If there’s one thing freshly-planted soybeans don’t like, it’s a cold drink of water. Soybeans are quite resilient to early season weather and cool soil, but a cold rain in the first 12-hours after planting can spell death to newly-planted soybeans. How does corn fare? Well, not much better, says RealAgriculture’s resident agronomist Peter “Wheat… Read More
Corteva Agriscience and the Pioneer seed brand are looking to new Z-Series soybeans to deliver agronomic advantages, better disease defence, and higher yields for North American soybean growers. Canadian growers will have access to limited seed from 20 varieties for planting in 2024 — 50 will be available in the U.S., with full availability expected… Read More
Every year soybean growers make seed choices based on a host of factors. One of the key decisions is whether to plant long-season varieties, full-season varieties or choose a shorter-season variety. Many growers target longer-season varieties and an early planting date to try to optimize yield potential and put more bushels in the bin, but… Read More
Surrounding yourself with exceptional people and building a winning team. It’s a recipe for success that Saskatchewan-born Lorne Hepworth has followed through three successful careers and now an appointment as Member of the Order of Canada. This week, RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney sat down with Hepworth to discuss his journey, which includes a career arc with… Read More
The way pulse varieties are developed in Saskatchewan is evolving, with more announcements of pulse breeding agreements on the way in 2024, says Carl Potts, executive director of the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG). An agreement with Limagrain was announced in July of 2022, the first of its kind, and growers will likely see a new… Read More
Like the Christmas decorations coming out at Costco, it feels like the variety and hybrid line-up decision keeps moving earlier and earlier each year. For some farmers, early decisions are vital in order to secure the exact variety, treatment, and trait package, but that decision is sometimes made before the current-year’s data is compiled. To… Read More
PRIDE Seeds is moving away from a sole distribution model and towards an ag retail network model for Western Canada. The move will increase the locations farmers can find PRIDE Seeds’ corn product portfolio. “Our enhanced dealer network will now work, directly and exclusively, with PRIDE Seeds. This will optimize the customer experience, allow greater… Read More