Keeping a close eye on crop canopy development can help growers better manage soybean crops. From helping select the best row spacing for a specific variety, to improving weed control there’s much to learn from understanding the speed at which a soybean variety closes the row as well as plant characteristics and architecture. On this… Read More
Tag: AGRIS Co-operative
Biostimulants designed to enhance performance and yield are nothing new in the corn management world. But growers can expect to see more and more of these products as manufacturers look to bring to market management solutions that alleviate the abiotic stresses plants experience when growing conditions are either too hot, cold, wet or dry. On… Read More
Wheat harvest is underway in Ontario and many cash crop farmers are wondering whether they should plant those acres to soybeans and take advantage of double cropping. Double crop soybeans are always an opportunity for many growers, says AGRIS Co-operative agronomist Dale Cowan, but it’s important to understand the risks. In 2021, he notes that… Read More
Positioning of the right crop protection products in the right region for the right timeframe is an annual logistics challenge. For the 2022 season, anticipated delivery snags and supply chain pinch points were managed as well as could be expected, but extreme conditions in Western Canada, and persistent manufacturer issues have suppliers and retailers working… Read More
When it comes to applying nitrogen fertilizer, agronomists have to help determine the right rate, right placement, the right time, and the rate form of N to protect the environment and feed the crop. The backdrop to those decisions include the farm setup, soil test results, yield goals, and product availability. There’s also that key… Read More
The practice of variable rate seeding for corn continues to increase as growers attempt to match seeding rates and hybrid characteristics to the varying yield potential across their fields. With the growth of precision agriculture, every year more growers adopt variable rate seeding strategies but are they effectively evaluating and fine-tuning this strategy on their… Read More
Great Lakes Grain’s annual Crop Assessment Tour has wrapped for the year and included over 500 corn fields and nearly 400 soybean fields. Reports from the tour suggest that the Ontario corn crop is shaping up to be a new provincial record. Early planting and less stress than past years means the corn crop is… Read More
What if corn, like soybeans, could fix its own nitrogen? It’s a question agronomist Dale Cowan and his team at AGRIS Co-operative are tackling this summer as they test a biological product that promises to help corn plants fix nitrogen, when applied directly on the seed, in pop-up fertilizer, and through foliar application between the… Read More
It was a dry start to the year for soybeans in Ontario as a lot of seed went into dry conditions, but the crop seems to have come along. A dry spring in Ontario can make for easier planting though, and coupled with timely rains the season’s start hasn’t been too bad. In this Soybean… Read More
Weather is the ultimate source for small talk, and rainfall is perhaps the most talked about — from how much, to when, to not enough, and on too much. For this episode of the Corn School, Bernard Tobin asks Dale Cowan, senior agronomist at AGRIS C0-operative, about how much rain a corn crop needs throughout… Read More
Achieving a perfect planting pass requires fine-tuning equipment, fit soil, and patience. To discuss how to get there, The Agronomists’ host Shaun Haney is joined by Dale Cowan, senior agronomist for AGRIS Co-op, and Matt Chapple, market development agronomist for PRIDE Seeds. The trio tackle set up, down force, soil conditions, monitoring and so much more…. Read More
How many crop heat units (CHU) does corn need to emerge? That’s a question many growers are asking as their corn seed shivers through the cold spring 2020 growing conditions. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Corn School, we put that question to Dale Cowan, AGRIS Co-operative agronomist. He says that corn seed typically requires 165… Read More
What happens in your fields during the growing season plays a critical role in determining the numbers that pop up on the combine yield monitor at harvest. One way to better understand those final yields and improve future management decisions is to utilize digital agronomy tools that are now widely available to both growers and… Read More
In 2019, many Ontario soybean fields showed signs of severe manganese deficiency. Many of the problem areas were a direct result of growing conditions that featured both soil temperature and moisture extremes, says AGRIS Co-operative agronomist Dale Cowan, who notes that many soils in southwestern Ontario tend to be naturally low in manganese. Any time… Read More
As May 15 approaches and the rain continues to fall across Ontario, growers need to start thinking about whether they should be dialling back their chosen soybean maturity range. Research shows growing a longer-season variety can put an additional four to five bushels in the bin if they’re planted by mid-May, says AGRIS Co-operative agronomist… Read More