It’s been a dry spring in Ontario and many growers are asking whether it makes sense to invest in a T3 fungicide for winter wheat. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Wheat School, resident agronomist Peter Johnson notes that across the province, the crop has received below-average rainfall and the potential for yield-robbing fusarium head… Read More
Category: Pests
When scouting for blackleg, many imagine clipping stems near swathing or harvest time. But did you know that infection actually occurs at the very beginning of the growing season? If you’re in a high risk situation, such as a tight rotation, growing the same variety, or have background resistance in the field, the disease can… Read More
Sluggish soys and crusted corn has many Ontario farmers wondering what the heck is going on with these crops. Well, when you look at the weather data for the month of May, the answer becomes pretty clear: this latest heatwave notwithstanding, it’s been cool to cold for much of the month! Is there anything that… Read More
It’s time to talk fusarium control — by zeroing in on an upright, narrow target. Achieving excellent coverage of a wheat head is a huge challenge, so to talk about better control and spray technology, this episode of the Agronomists brings together Dr. Dave Hooker, with the University of Guelph-Ridgetown, and Dr. Tom Wolf of… Read More
As planting of corn and soybeans nears the finish line across Ontario, farmers and agronomists are turning their attention to weed control. A stretch of dry weather that fuelled a two-week sprint of planting, with little time for spraying, means many growers are now checking the status of pre-plant applications and trying to determine next… Read More
Once the canola crop has emerged, keep eyes peeled for pesky early insects. Across Western Canada, the top two insects of concern tend to be cutworms and — you guessed it — flea beetles. Anique Josuttes of BASF says even though we say it year after year, the number one tool you can use is… Read More
Grasshoppers are known to be voracious pests that can cause widespread damage, similar to plagues of locusts if not controlled. But is there a way to anticipate an infestation? Inspired by The Wheat School video featuring an interview with Lyle Jensen of Agro Plus, on identifying and controlling grasshoppers early in the growing season, Peter… Read More
A European corn borer (ECB) population in part of eastern Canada appears to have developed resistance to a Bt protein commonly used in North American corn hybrids for preventing damage from the pest. On April 27th, the Canadian Corn Pest Coalition reported a sample of ECB collected near Truro, Nova Scotia, showed reduced susceptibility to… Read More
Some Prairie pests coast in on wind, but several pest populations overwinter in the area. It’s these pests that can run in cycles, ebbing and flowing with conditions and predator populations. Knowing what pressure was like — and where — the year previously can be very helpful in anticipating pest problems. For this episode of… Read More
Syngenta Crop Protection and Biotalys has announced a collaboration to research, develop, and commercialize new biocontrol products for pests in a broad variety of crops. New bio-insecticides will be built through Biotalys’ AGROBODY technology. Once developed, these products will offer a new mode of action for the management of pest resistance. Under the terms of… Read More
When talking about flea beetles and flea beetle pressure, it’s really all a numbers game. How can we get the least amount of insects across a wide range of plants? The key, says Jack Payne of South Country Co-op, is uniform seeding and emergence. Getting canola crop off to a quick and even start will… Read More
Syngenta Canada says it will offer up a “limited amount” of Matador 120EC insecticide and Voliam Xpress insecticide for western Canadian growers, with a focus on horticulture and pulse crops in time for the 2023 growing season. As stated earlier this year, the products will also be available in Eastern Canada with a focus on… Read More
What the heck, winter? Please see yourself out, says Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson, because Canada has a crop to plant! On this week’s episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, you’ll hear about whether or not early planted beans and corn are going to be OK, how to avoid clumpy fertilizer issues, and legacy of manure applications…. Read More
Welcome to Season 4 of the Pests & Predators podcast series, where top entomologists highlight the insect Field Heroes hard at work for Canadian farmers. Dr. Meghan Vankosky, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) at Saskatoon, Sask., co-chairs the Prairie Pest Monitoring Network (PPMN), a key tool in alerting farmers to pest population… Read More
What’s old is new again, or at least as relevant as ever when it comes to managing herbicide resistant weeds. Research led by Charles Geddes, weed scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at Lethbridge, shows cultural practices — tighter row spacing, higher seeding rates, and longer crop rotations — can be just as effective as… Read More