Saskatchewan-based farm equipment manufacturer Morris Industries rolled out a brand new air drill design at Canada’s Farm Progress Show at Regina last month. The Quantum air drill features a stronger, simpler frame design, a new air system, and more row spacing options than previous models, according to the company. “We’ve thought about this product from the perspective… Read More
Category: Crop Production
Wheat breeding is a poor cousin when you compare it to the investment and resources corn and soybean plant breeders have at their disposal to develop new and improved plant genetics. The arrival of CRISPR technology, however, is giving wheat breeders hope that they may finally get a leg up on their big-crop cousins. At… Read More
OMAFRA soybean specialist Horst Bohner is back on his tractor and rolling soybeans for a second year as part of a multi-year research trial. The fundamental idea behind the research is to somehow induce a response that will cause the soybean plant to become more bushy and produce more nodes. At meetings this winter, growers… Read More
Hay crops can be tricky when it comes to agronomic considerations. Unlike annual crops, hay breaks dormancy, continues to grow and then mature after cutting, and eventually needs to rest up to go dormant again. The unique characteristics of perennials means that fertility is needed at different times of year than most are used to,… Read More
With the long list of other things on the radar to scout for in canola, it can be easy to overlook one or two. But one thing that canola producers need to remain ever vigilant about is clubroot — controlling this disease is an all-out battle, and scouting is a key part of planning for… Read More
2018 marks the first growing season where farmers across Canada can apply the plant growth regulator chlormequat chloride — a.k.a. “Manipulator” — to wheat without having to worry about problems marketing the wheat after harvest. The U.S. established a maximum residue limit (MRL) for chlormequat chloride in cereal crop imports this spring, clearing the way… Read More
If you’ve ever been frustrated by a weed’s seemingly amazing ability to survive and even thrive after being knocked back, cut down, or sprayed, this discussion is for you. You’re not imagining things — weeds really do have adaptations that make them harder to kill and allow them to spread faster and easier than desired… Read More
The 2018 Straight Cutting Canola Webinar is your chance to learn about straight cutting best practices and innovations from industry experts and experienced growers. Join us on either Wednesday, July 11th OR Friday, July 13th. Whichever day you choose, please note that each webinar will kick off at 8:00 am MST. Click here to register now and… Read More
It is important to get into fields often to monitor plant development and growing conditions, but for the pea crop it’s especially important at early flowering. In this episode of RealAgriculture’s Pulse School we talk to Wendy Schatz Leeds, lead agronomist with Sharpe’s Crop Services, about why early flowering is a critical time to scout pea fields…. Read More
On the first day of summer how many soybean plants per acre are required to maintain 100 percent yield potential? The answer is simple – 150,000 plants per acre. But there are many management factors to consider when trying to hit that number. In this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food… Read More
The idea of spraying with drones has gained interest as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become more common in farming over the past few years. In concept, UAV sprayers could identify and target weeds, and then apply herbicide autonomously in specific areas of a field. The technology for spraying with a drone is available and… Read More
All farmers want to get their crops off to a good start, and the right amount of phosphate gives canola that pop-up effect that farmers just love to see. There is, however, such thing as too much of a good thing. It turns out that although much research has been done on safe rates of… Read More
Average yields of 110 to 115 bushels per acre on soil that is often more than 60 percent clay? That’s impressive. And that’s why Parkland Farms is featured on our latest episode of ‘Real’ Wheat Farmers. In this video, RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson peppers Parkland Farms agronomist Clark Aitken with questions on how the Lambton… Read More
A scratchy-voiced Peter Johnson needs you to get out there and scout, scout, scout for aphids on soybean. While you’re out in the fields, you also need to check for all sorts of other insects because hot, dry weather is helping creepy-crawlies multiply. It’s also time to get that first white mould suppression pass on,… Read More
Crop conditions across Western Canada are quite variable based on sporadic moisture. Even just field to field, the conditions can be so different that farmers and agronomists are facing some really challenging decision making situations. When conditions like drought set in, it can be easy to make assumptions on what is or not happening in… Read More