There’s no better place to conduct practical agronomic research than in the real world, under the same conditions, using the same equipment and management practices. That’s the premise underlying the Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers’ On-Farm Network, a farmer-driven research program that was officially launched 10 years ago, in 2014. “We really saw a need… Read More

Higher yields are always a top priority for plant breeders developing new crop varieties, but yield itself is the result of a combination of different factors, including resistance to disease threats, maturity timing, and harvestability. These characteristics are all taken into consideration when screening and developing new edible bean varieties, explains Anfu Hou, bean breeder… Read More

New genetics are expected to help dry bean growers fight back against common bacterial blight — the number one foliar disease in beans in Western Canada. Annual dry bean field surveys in Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan show common bacterial blight “is usually quite severe and widespread,” explains Bob Conner, pulse crop pathologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC),… Read More

Soybean growers in Manitoba are — so far — rather lucky. While there are diseases in the province that infect soybeans, like downy mildew, white mold (sclerotinia) and brown spot, overall pressure is relatively low. That will change over time, however, as Vikram Bisht, plant pathologist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, points out,… Read More