All farmers want to get their crops off to a good start, and the right amount of phosphate gives canola that pop-up effect that farmers just love to see. There is, however, such thing as too much of a good thing. It turns out that although much research has been done on safe rates of… Read More
If you attended this year’s canolaPALOOZA in Lacombe, you might still be singing Don Ho’s Tiny Bubbles. The 1966 release drifted through the air alongside hundreds, if not thousands, of tiny iridescent soap bubbles. The bubbles — and the hit earworm — were part of a spray demonstration that was organized to help producers visualize spray droplets,… 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
Registration for CanolaPALOOZA in Lacombe, Alberta is now live, and I can’t help but be a little excited. Last year, event organizers hinted at great content and wacky entertainment, but I really didn’t know what to expect. I showed up with camera in hand, sunscreen on face. Photos from CanolaPALOOZA ’15 | Registration for ’16… Read More
As a diverse set of volunteers in the agriculture industry, it’s hard to assign a worth to the work beneficial insects accomplish, but their absence can speak volumes, if you’re listening. To showcase that, Jim Broatch, pest management specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, talks root maggots in this Canola School, and how an insecticide application… Read More