Farmers hit with aster yellows in 2012 aren’t likely to soon forget the devastation high infection rates can cause. The trickiest aspect of the disease is how futile it is to try and control it. The phytoplasma, carried on the aster leafhopper, is passed quickly from insect to plant and then the insect moves on…. Read More
Category: Pests
Weed resistance has been a hot topic in Canada for the past number of years, with glyphosate resistance moving front and centre in the last year or two. In case you hadn’t heard, glyphosate-resistant kochia was confirmed in Alberta in early 2012 and, as of 2013, it’s been confirmed in south and west central Saskatchewan… Read More
Fusarium head blight. It’s one nasty disease that most of the Prairies was happy to consider a southern Manitoba problem. The troubling reality, however, is that the disease has been steadily marching west for quite some time, and while it’s not news that the disease has been found in Alberta and Saskatchewan, the incidence of… Read More
Any farmer who loves a good list missed out on one fantastic presentation by Ken Ferrie at the recent CornSmart conference held recently at Guelph, Ont. Drawing conclusions from the 2012 growing season, Ferrie, an independent agronomist with Crop-Tech Consulting, ran through the seven key areas of corn production management where he feels farmers need… Read More
Crop Production Week 2013 always has a host of companies launching new products and this year was no exception. BASF used this year’s show to give pulse growers some help in the disease arena with its new fungicide, Priaxor DS. Priaxor DS combines the active ingredient of Headline with the brand new product Xemium. RealAgriculture’s… Read More
The post CWB monopoly environment has opened up a lot of interest in the CPS wheat class. Internationally recognized as having the high yield and good milling characteristics producers and industry are looking for, the wheat class is still quite small in Canada. The addition of AC Conquer VB to the Canterra Seeds line up… Read More
Western Canadian farmers growing field pea and dry beans have a new option for control of broadleaf and grassy weeds in Viper ADV. A liquid product with two modes of action, Viper ADV can help farmers with their fungicide resistance management plan without severely restricting re-cropping options. Lyndsey Smith spoke with Glen Forster, technical development… Read More
It can seem like an efficient way to solve two problems at once — add an insecticide in with the fungicide on canola and, voila, all your pest troubles go away. But not so fast. While applying an insecticide when pest insect levels are at or above threshold may be the right move, adding an… Read More
If ever we needed a new curse word, let me humbly suggest kochia. If you thought it was tough to kill before, it’s quickly becoming even more difficult. As Clark Brenzil, provincial weed specialist with Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, explains, not only should kochia be taken off the label of every Group 2 herbicide, it’s… Read More
The 2013 wheat midge forecast map is now live on the Alberta Agriculture website, Ropin the Web. This forecast is based on 298 soil samples taken in the fall after harvest. Indications are that wheat midge will be more of a concern for 2013 than it was for 2012. Midge numbers have increased and they… Read More
It’s no secret that the striped flea beetle is a tougher opponent than the more common crucifer flea beetle. This canola pest tends to emerge earlier than the crucifer type and isn’t as easily killed by commonly used seed treatments. That does not mean, however, that the striped flea beetle is resistant to neonicotinoids, as… Read More
By Mike Cowbrough for FieldCropNews.com It seems to be an annual question. Do I add ammonium sulfate (AMS) to glyphosate? Will it improve weed control especially if my water source is hard? The short answer is no. Skeptical? I understand. There are many areas within the United States that insist the addition of ammonium sulfate… Read More
Welcome to what I hope will become part of your regular reading — The Bug Counter blog, here on RealAgriculture.com. As Insect Management Specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development my role is largely to count insects. Along with my technician, Shelley Barkley, and in-season help from summer students we have set out to create… Read More
Wheat midge feeding on kernels can cause significant damage, downgrading the crop and eating into yield. One of the big trip-ups for many farmers is timing a spray application — is anthesis too late? Do you wait for the entire head to emerge? (Hint: Anthesis is getting too late — more on ideal spray timing… Read More
Two weeks ago we posted a series of videos from six groups of University of Guelph students. The project was for the UofG Crops 4240 undergraduate class. We asked the RealAgriculture.com community to vote on the best weed ID videos from the students. As you see below when you click on show results, Group 6 –… Read More