It’s been four years since Todd Boughner of Judge Farms took the plunge and installed 67 acres of subsurface drip irrigation on a sandy soiled farm near Delhi, Ontario. When Real Agriculture first visited the project, Boughner, the farm manager, was busy working with a crew to install drip tape across the entire field in… Read More
Search Results for: soil school
That’s a question many growers ask when they see parts of their soybean fields prematurely turning yellow in August and early September. In this episode of Real Agriculture Soybean School, OMAFRA’s Albert Tenuta and University of Guelph researcher Dave Hooker team up to answer the question and provide management tips. When his phone rings, Tenuta… Read More
Talking about strip tillage in corn is easy, but making it work in the field can be challenging. In this episode of Corn School, resident agronomist Peter Johnson sets out to find the perfect strip till berm at the recent Elgin Soil and Crop Improvement Association field demonstration day. Johnson explains that planting into 6″x6″… Read More
It’s been a long time since the last public research was conducted to support nitrogen fertilizer recommendations for wheat on the eastern side of the prairies. “The last time we did publicly-funded research on wheat yields and nitrogen fertilizer recommendations was actually about 45 years ago, so we were dealing with lower yielding wheat varieties… Read More
Have you tested your fields for soybean cyst nematode (SCN) lately? If not, it may be time to put a shovel in the ground and do a soil analysis. In this episode of the Soybean School, Huron Commodities agronomist Wayne Wheeler provides tips on how to quickly assess whether or not the tiny root pest… Read More
Dry conditions can be tough on soybean residual herbicides, but with a little rain, they’re up to the task, says BASF field biologist Rob Miller. He concedes that in a dry year like 2016 in Ontario, residuals can be less effective, “but you’re still seeing the value of residual weed control, especially with burndown. Even… Read More
Soil microbes require carbon to grow. And they’re not picky where that carbon comes from. To demonstrate microbial activity as it relates to soil health, Manitoba Agriculture soil management specialist Marla Riekman and some colleagues buried what she calls “an indicator material” in various locations this spring. Their material of choice: cotton, specifically the soft,… Read More
“Herbicide layering” looks to be an effective approach to managing hard-to-control cleavers in pulses. As Eric Johnson, weed scientist at the University of Saskatchewan, explains in this Pulse School episode, herbicide layering is the application of different modes of action sequentially. It usually involves a pre-seed soil-applied herbicide, such as sulfentrazone, ethalflurolin or pyroxasulfone, ,… Read More
Growers topdressing melted urea to boost wheat protein should be asking their supplier whether it contains a contaminant that’s toxic to wheat, suggests a soil scientist at the University of Manitoba. With the introduction of higher yielding wheat varieties, there’s been new interest in applying post-anthesis nitrogen to wheat to boost protein content in Western… Read More
If the world of soil biology had its own version of Facebook, crops like peas, lentils, corn and flax would be listed as “in a symbiotic relationship” with mycorrhizal fungi. The microscopic organisms help these crops access phosphorus in the soil. Wheat would probably be friends with mycorrhiza, as cereals see some benefit from having… Read More
In early July, IP soybean growers aren’t typically thinking about weed control. But when it comes to nightshade, growers need to be diligent and watch for late flushes that could compromise the quality of food grade export markets, explains Huron Commodities agronomist Wayne Wheeler. In this episode of Real Agriculture Soybean School, Wheeler explains that… Read More
Would your canola crop benefit from a top-dress or rescue application of nitrogen? A tissue test will give you an idea of whether plants are deficient, but you’ll have to wait for results. As Jack Payne explains in this Canola School episode, there are now several versions of in-field sensors that help agronomists and growers assess… Read More
There have been no confirmed cases of fungicide resistance in pulse crop diseases in Western Canada, and the industry wants to keep it that way. “It’s something we want to take a proactive approach on and make sure we don’t develop those issues we’re seeing in some of the southern States with corn and soybean… Read More
Ontario’s corn crop is holding its own as the final days of a hot, dry June slip past. But with moisture stress increasing, some ‘sins of the spring’ are taking their toll on cornfields, says Pride Seeds Market Agronomist Ken Currah. In this episode of Real Agriculture Corn School, Currah explains that much of the… Read More
With the June 30 crop insurance deadline approaching, many Ontario farmers are wondering what they should do with their soybeans. Across the province, fields are struggling as seed lays in the ground in varying states of delayed emergence due to drought conditions. In this episode of Real Agriculture Soybean School, Pride Seeds Market Agronomist Ken… Read More