As you look at growing conditions across the Prairies, it’s extremely variable . Too hot, too dry, too wet, too cool — the conditions range, which makes looking at production numbers a bit tricky. Chuck Penner, of LeftField Commodities Research says although there are a lot of big question marks, overall, production seems to be… Read More
BASF says it expects to know more within a couple weeks on why certain InVigor canola hybrids in Western Canada have appeared to stall in their development after emerging from the ground. The company issued a statement late last week acknowledging it was aware of a performance issue with some InVigor varieties. In most of… Read More
Our collective knowledge of a particular pest, and also its enemies, builds over decades of observations, questions, and sound research. Sometimes, such as is the case with lygus in canola crops, research has to wait for the right person or timing to really get rolling forward. In this episode of the Pests & Predators podcast,… Read More
The decision whether to spray a fungicide for sclerotinia stem rot always comes back to the disease triangle — a susceptible host, the presence of the pathogen, and a favourable environment — and many canola-growing areas currently have all three. Under “favourable environment,” sclerotinia requires moist soil conditions to germinate. The last few years have… Read More
BASF says it is investigating an issue with the performance of some InVigor canola seed in Western Canada. The company issued a statement on Thursday saying it “has been made aware that certain InVigor canola hybrids may be experiencing slow emergence in select geographies…” “We have a dedicated team examining possible contributing factors,” the company… Read More
Canola seedlings have experienced a tough start in many areas of the Prairies this year. In Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan, the crop has had to come through flooding, broadcast seeding, compaction, crusting, and flea beetles (stay away, grasshoppers), while it’s been the opposite soil moisture scenario in drought-stricken parts of Alberta and western Saskatchewan. In… Read More
There are two main species of flea beetles across the Prairies: the striped flea beetle and the crucifer flea beetle. Both can have devastating impacts on the canola crop, however, they have a few differences between them. As Héctor Cárcamo, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) at Lethbridge, Alta., explains, the crucifier flea beetle… Read More
Validating economic thresholds for flea beetles can be tricky — especially when we know the damage the insect can do to the canola crop. Héctor Cárcamo, research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) at Lethbridge, Alta., recently completed a study that confirms an economic threshold. The team at AAFC found that 25 per cent… Read More
With some insects, we may be confused as to why they have the name they do. When it comes to cutworms — this isn’t the case. It’s pretty “cut” and dry…as the pest will feed on the stems of the plant. Cutworms unfortunately don’t have terrific forecast maps, as Jack Payne of South Country Co-op… Read More
When it comes to seeding depth of canola, there are many different opinions and recommendations out there. While there may not be a right or wrong answer — did you know you can potentially mitigate flea beetle pressure through seeding depth? Flea beetles can be one of the most detrimental insect when it comes to… Read More
Usually a pest of canola, but sometimes a pest of faba bean and other pulses, the bertha armyworm is a significant eater of crop yield in Canada. For this episode of the Pests & Predators podcast, brought to you by Field Heroes powered by the Western Grains Research Foundation, host Shaun Haney discusses a fascinating… Read More
The Chinese government has lifted restrictions on imports of canola from Canada’s two largest exporters that dated back to March 2019. Richardson and Viterra were banned from shipping canola seed to China more than three years ago. Both companies are listed as approved for exporting canola to China in a government document that was published… Read More
Not all glufosinate ammonium herbicide formulations are the same. This is especially important to note in areas that grow both glufosinate-tolerant (aka LibertyLink) corn and canola. A corn grower in Ontario, or in the Midwest U.S., who orders Liberty or glufosinate from a retailer would likely receive a formulation containing 200g of active ingredient per… Read More
The Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) has announced a series of grading changes that will come into effect this upcoming crop year. The CGC says the changes come after consultations with stakeholders through the Western Standards Committee and Eastern Standards Committee. The grading changes include the following revisions and considerations: Mildew standards for eastern and western… Read More
Looking at the current state of the commodity markets, you may be tempted to make some last minute changes to your crop plan. Deviating away from your crop rotation may seem like a good idea in the short term, but as Sheldon Toews, technical service specialist with BASF, explains in this Canola School episode that… Read More
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