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... Read More
Category: Crop Schools
As the list of herbicide-tolerance traits in soybeans grows, so does the risk of off-target herbicide applications. For many years, most soybeans in North America have been glyphosate-tolerant, with the exception in areas that grow conventional soybeans for the food market. But LibertyLink glufosinate-tolerant soybeans are being planted on some acres and Monsanto plans to... Read More
When soybean aphids start multiplying in soybean fields, the decision to spray is typically triggered by the number of aphids found on each plant. The threshold for growers in Western Canada is usually reached when there are an average of 250 aphids per plant on 80 percent of the plants. The population should still be... 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
Pea aphids populations have been reaching problematic levels in some parts of the Prairies over the last few weeks. In this Pulse School episode, Dennis Lange, provincial pulse specialist in Manitoba, says they're still a concern in some areas. "We're at the stage where some of the later seeded pea fields are in the late... Read More
It’s been more than a year since the Canadian government’s decision to implement UPOV ’91 standards for Plant Breeders’ Rights. When it was ratified, the seed industry touted the agreement as a significant driver of new investment in crop breeding and genetics for Canadian farmers. In this Wheat School episode, Real Agriculture resident agronomist Peter... 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
Are spider mites poised to infest your soybean fields? With drought conditions persisting across Ontario, Huron Commodities agronomist Wayne Wheeler says “it’s not a case of whether spider mites will show up, but when.” In this episode of Real Agriculture Soybean School, Wheeler explains that one of the major attractions for spider mites are well-groomed... Read More
Changes to wheat classes in Western Canada are just around the corner. Two classes will be created, while three others will be dropped, on August 1, 2016. Murdoch MacKay, commissioner with the Canadian Grain Commission, joins us for this episode of the Wheat School to discuss the changes and why they're being made. As he... Read More
When you see two tillers growing out of a corn root you may suspect the wannabe plants are stealing nutrients from the main stalk, along with yield potential. But that’s not the case, explains Pride Seeds’ market agronomist Aaron Stevanus on this episode of Real Agriculture Corn School. “Tillers are actually a good thing. It... Read More