Tar spot is taking a bite out of yields in some Ontario corn fields but there is hope that growers will have effective tools to manage the leaf disease. Characterized by tar-like speckling on the upper surface of corn leaves, the fungal pathogen has been delivering yield hits ranging from 20 to 60 bushels per… Read More
Goooood day. In this episode of the Wheat Pete’s Word, your host Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson gives updates on all things ag related in Ontario, and beyond. Also in this week’s episode, Johnson has advice for scouting for fall armyworm in winter canola, when to harvest beans, corn stability, and much more. Listen on! Have… Read More
It’s time for Day 7 of Ontario Diagnostic Days! The annual Ontario field crop diagnostic days held at Ridgetown, Elora, and Winchester are again virtual in 2021. Wheat and soybean fungicide tips, tar spot control in corn, manganese deficiency, plant growth regulators and double crop soybeans are all featured in this episode. We’ll kick it off with Ontario… Read More
Trees tend to generate an emotional response from most cash croppers — some growers love them, others hate them. The joy or angst typically stems from the impact the large, expansive perennial plants have on growing crops. On this episode of Corn School, RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson looks back at the research of Dr. Charles Baldwin who… Read More
Corn rootworm can be a major yield-robber and this year more than most, it’s on everyone’s minds. Amanda Craven, agronomist at PRIDE Seeds is joined by Bernard Tobin for this Corn School episode to talk resistance management, how rotation helps, and how corn rootworm affects yield. “What we’re seeing this year, in our corn-on-corn fields,… Read More
Ontario corn growers could be sitting on record yields for 2021 if yield estimates are on the mark. The recent Great Ontario Yield Tour pegged yield at 191.5 bu/ac after a province-wide inspection of corn fields. On this episode of The Sharp Edge, Maizex Seeds agronomist Greg Stewart looks at some of the sharpest agronomic… Read More
It’s time for Day 6 of Ontario Diagnostic Days! The annual Ontario field crop diagnostic days held at Ridgetown, Elora, and Winchester are again virtual in 2021. Management tips for corn, soybeans and dry beans; learning lessons from your soil; and the role robotic technology plays on the farm are all featured in this episode. We’ll… Read More
It’s the first official day of fall, and for Ontario, it appears that means all-day rain. What’s top of mind for late September? Wheat, of course! In this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson covers a few of the depth, rate, and weed control questions he fielded this week. Plus, on this episode hear… Read More
Perennials and winter annuals like dandelions, shepherd’s purse, and even chickweed can be tough to control at the best of times. So, what can make a perennial and winter annual weed control strategy more effective in corn? Going back to a previous conversation between Rob Miller, agronomist at BASF, and Bernard Tobin about using tillage… Read More
The warnings about tar spot that started several years ago were, unfortunately, bang on. In this week’s episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson shares some scouting stories from several counties where tar spot has been found in corn, and what farmers will likely have to plan for in 2022. Also in this episode,… Read More
Statistics Canada’s latest production estimates puts soybean production for 2021 down 7.4 per cent year over year to 5.9 million tonnes. Corn production is expected to climb, however, to 14.4 million tonnes in 2021. Much of that increase is from Ontario, where corn production is expected to increase 7.5 per cent to 9.6 million tonnes, on higher yields (+9.3 per cent… Read More
BASF Canada has received registration approval from the Pest Management Regulatory Agency for Veltyma fungicide. Veltyma provides broad spectrum control against key leaf diseases on multiple crops including corn, potatoes, wheat, and soybeans, including Group 3 resistant biotypes, says the company. The product is registered for broad spectrum control against northern corn leaf blight, tar… Read More
It’s time to talk soil health, nutrient management, and more on Day 5 of Ontario Diagnostic Days! The annual Ontario field crop diagnostic days held at Ridgetown, Elora, and Winchester are again virtual in 2021. Cover crops, soil compaction, topsoil sampling and soybean fertility are the focus of this episode. We’ll kick it off with cover… Read More
Farmers and agronomists across Ontario are struggling with a few pest and agronomic challenges right now. From decreased corn stalk integrity, to western bean cutworm, and on to lodged or early death in beans, a relatively good year is still throwing some curve balls. For this episode of The Agronomists, host Lyndsey Smith is joined… Read More
How does strip tillage impact a corn plant’s ability to access and take up nutrients? On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Corn School, Ben Rosser, corn lead at Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, looks at fertility research plots that compare how corn performs in both conventional tillage and spring strip tillage systems. In… Read More