Weed control in organic soybeans and edible beans can prove challenging for growers who only have inter-row cultivation and scuffling in their weed management toolbox. On this episode of The Sharp Edge, we learn how organic grower Phil Oegema and his family, who operate Oegema Grains Ltd. near St.Thomas, Ont., have put a charge into… Read More
Category: Weed control
Grain growers are reporting that bluegrass is becoming a growing weedy issue in many Ontario field crops. There are three types of weedy bluegrass species that are being found: annual bluegrass, rough-stalk bluegrass, and Canada bluegrass. As Mike Cowbrough, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs weed specialist explains in this Wheat School episode,… Read More
Edible bean growers in Ontario experienced a little bit of everything in 2021 — from excellent soil conditions, to frost and hard-to-find moisture. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Edible Bean School, host Bernard Tobin and Hensall Co-op agronomist Josh Moffatt explore four different Oxford County fields, and share lessons learned from the spring planting rollercoaster…. Read More
When’s the best time of day to spray herbicides? Morning, noon, or night? University of Guelph weed scientist Dr. Peter Sikkema says that every herbicide has a time-of-day effect but generally speaking, growers get the best weed control at 3:00 pm in the afternoon. That’s Sikkema’s conclusion based on time-of-day efficacy trials he conducted using… Read More
Scouting soybeans is a big part of any Ontario agronomist’s year. Emergence, a consistent plant stand, and seeding depth are the first few things to scout for in the field. Ryan Benjamins, who owns and operates Benjamins Agronomy Services, gives tips for scouting soybeans and what to consider further along in the growing season, in… Read More
One of the reasons weed species can be so difficult to get ahead of is because of their ability to adapt to conditions. Herbicide labels often refer to weed size when targeting the ideal control window, but in dry conditions weeds can stay small while rapidly move towards maturity. Mike Cowbrough, weed specialist for the… Read More
Dry spring planting conditions have many growers wondering how their soil-applied residual herbicides will perform, as the weather continues to heat up with little meaningful rain in sight. Research by University of Guelph weed scientist Dr. Peter Sikkema indicates pre-emergence herbicides will still deliver significant value for growers in dry spring conditions. He notes that… Read More
With the crops starting to emerge, so are the weeds. Recently, the Weed Science Society of America (WSSA) published a survey that ranks the most common and troublesome weeds in 2020. The survey sparked this week’s question on RealAg Radio’s Farmer Rapid Fire: what weed is the most troublesome for you? Which one really makes… Read More
Corteva Agriscience and BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions (BASF) have announced a collaboration and joint approach to weed control by recommending the combined use of Liberty 200 SN and Enlist herbicides on Enlist E3TM soybean acres. The combination will work especially well on weeds like waterhemp and Canada fleabane, that are now glyphosate resistant in many… Read More
Resistance to Group 2 herbicides has been common and assumed in many cases with kochia in Western Canada for years, but weed survey results show glyphosate (Group 9) resistance in the invasive tumbleweed species has exploded in recent years. In 2013, less than 1 per cent of kochia populations sampled by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada… Read More
When glyphosate-resistant waterhemp was first discovered in Lambton County in 2014, University of Guelph weed scientist Peter Sikkema never imagined the course the weed would take across Ontario, or the speed it would travel. In 2020, Sikkema and his team collected seeds in Leeds & Grenville County. “So that means glyphosate-resistant waterhemp has moved 700… Read More
When it comes to weed control, getting it right is key for edible bean success. University of Guelph research shows, on average, weed interference can cause yield losses up to 56 per cent compared to 50 per cent in corn and 36 per cent in soybeans. When comparing edible beans and soybeans, U of G… Read More
Plenty of things are showing signs of life right about now in Ontario, including the weeds. To determine how to control these yield-robbing plants in the weeks ahead, Bernard Tobin is joined by Rob Miller, agronomist at BASF, in this episode of the Corn School. Typically, a conversation on spring weed control is determined by what… Read More
Decisions, decisions. There are many early season considerations that will factor into where to put your next crop of peas, lentils, chickpeas, or faba beans. Seed quality, environmental conditions, whether or not to treat seed, and pest concerns are just some that make the list. One of the great things about pulse crops is that… Read More
Start clean, stay clean is the motto when it comes to weed control. Super dry conditions, however, can throw a wrench in the best laid plans, as soil-applied herbicides may be less effective and timing a first pass is tricker as weeds are slow to emerge. To discuss per-emerge and early season weed control on… Read More