If you’ve noticed increasing levels of northern corn leaf blight in some of your fields, it could be that the hybrids you’re planting don’t have the right gene to resist infection. That’s because the pathogen has evolved to bypass some of the older sources of resistance, says Albert Tenuta, field crop pathologist with the Ontario… Read more »
Category: SWAC ’15
Unexpected Injury — The Impact of Herbicide Carry Over on Cover Crops
The risk of herbicide carry over can sometimes be overlooked when changing cropping plans or trying something new, but herbicide residue can have a drastic impact on susceptible crops, sometimes as long as years after application. Chemical breakdown times vary, subject to soil temperature and moisture. For some chemicals, susceptible crops can be seeded shortly… Read more »
Soybean School: To Till or Not to Till for White Mould Management?
It’s a disease that affects a number of significant crops in Canada, including vegetables, pulses, canola and even some forage species. And last year, some farmers saw particularly high levels of white mould in soybean crops across Ontario. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, or white mold, makes its mark on plants in lesions that appear water-soaked; white, fluffy mycelium;… Read more »
Wheat School: Reaching Wheat’s Full Genetic Potential — The UK Perspective
Wheat production in the United Kingdom hovers just below 200, 000 hectares (about a half a million acres). It’s used for export markets, human consumption, and plays a key role in animal rations. Thanks in large part to the UK’s temperate climate, yields of 120bu/ac are not uncommon. And, as you’ll find in the following… Read more »
Get a Gauge on Soil Health By Doing Some Digging in the Fence Row
Want to do a health check up on your topsoil, but not a soil expert? Easy! Get digging in the fence row or nearby woodlot for a good gauge on how different the fields are from what they were before being farmed. Anne Verhallen, soil management specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and… Read more »
Rising Up to the Challenges — SWAC ’15 Launches New Theme
Wild and whacky weather, tumultuous markets, the plight of the honeybee and more will feature prominently on the agenda of the 2015 Southwest Agricultural Conference. Slated for January 6th and 7th, 2015, at Ridgetown, Ontario, SWAC, as it’s affectionately known, is sure to sell out — and for good reason. This year’s agenda is packed… Read more »