Are we doing enough to reduce the herbicide-resistance weed seedbank on Ontario farms?That’s a question AGRIS Co-operative agronomist Dale Cowan wants farmers in the province to consider when they’re planning their weed control programs for this year. Cowan recently attended the Commodity Classic in Anaheim, California, where he talked with farmers from Mississippi who maintain… Read More
Category: Crop Schools
It’s late March and it’s cool in Ontario. Are you thinking about applying nitrogen to your winter wheat crop?If so, don’t mention it to RealAgriculture resident agronomist Peter Johnson – he may have a conniption. After he stops shaking, WheatPete will tell you that there is no benefit to putting nitrogen on wheat until it… Read More
Planting season is just around the corner, but many farmers are still contemplating their planter needs for 2018.Kearney Planters service manager Shaun Dilliott says he gets consistent calls from corn growers who are making planter upgrade decisions or contemplating buying new or used planters. “One of the things we get a lot of is people… Read More
Soybean growers in Western Canada have not yet had to face a soil-borne pest that has hurt yields in other soybean growing regions, but it’s only a matter of time.Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) has steadily spread north along the Red River and has been found in soils on at least two farms near the Canada-U.S…. Read More
While yield and lodging attributes will always be critical, pulse crop breeders have placed a high priority on root rot resistance in recent years, and are increasingly focused on the nutritional profile of new pea, lentil and chickpea varieties.Tom Warkentin, pulse breeder at the Crop Development Centre at Saskatoon, joins us for this Pulse School… Read More
Researchers with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at Saskatoon have developed a lab test for identifying blackleg disease races in canola that complements the new blackleg resistance-gene labels on canola seed.Knowing both factors — the blackleg races present in a field and the disease packages available in seed — will allow farmers to select varieties with resistance traits… Read More
Soybean cyst nematode (SCN) is the crop’s number one yield-robbing pest, and the problem is only going to get worse as the pest continues to breakdown the defence provided by SCN-resistant soybean varieties. It really is a case of the pest becoming “resistant to the resistance,” says Iowa State nematologist Greg Tylka. About 95 percent… Read More
Your farm has a nutrient management plan, but does it include your neighbours? A larger-scale plan is a great idea for intense livestock neighbourhoods that struggle to use manure efficiently. It also ensures nutrients stay in the field and out of tiles and waterways, says Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs field crop sustainability… Read More
Even for seasoned soybean growers, harvest losses happen, and it’s estimated 80 percent of harvest losses occur at the header with soybeans. At $11/bushel, getting a few extra bushels off each acre adds up quickly.Just how losses are affected by combine header design and harvest speed was the subject of a two-year study by the… Read More
It’s a question people grapple with daily — is it better to be a generalist, with a knowledge on a great number of topics, or a specialist, who can talk with gumption about a specific field? The Canola Council of Canada has found a way to get the best of both worlds, with a group… Read More