Category: Crop Schools

Although canola's calcium requirements are relatively high (about double the level of sulphur and phosphorous, according to the Canola Council of Canada), deficiencies are rarely seen in western Canada. When deficiencies do occur, it is often as a result of highly saturated soils, which do not allow the plant to take up adequate nutrients. That... Read More

Farmers fought hard (sometimes through deep snow that disappeared soon after) to get the 2014 Ontario corn crop off, but there's as much as 5% of the crop still standing. There's really nothing you can do about the crop being out until the snow finally melts, but farmers who have been keeping eye on their... Read More

Depending on where you farm, between 10% and 21% of Ontario's winter wheat acres went in during the seven day extension granted by AgriCorp last fall. Seeing as the earlier the crop goes in, the higher the yield potential, don't be surprised if 2015 yields aren't stellar. That late planting may also impact stand survivalbility,... Read More

If you've noticed increasing levels of northern corn leaf blight in some of your fields, it could be that the hybrids you're planting don't have the right gene to resist infection. That's because the pathogen has evolved to bypass some of the older sources of resistance, says Albert Tenuta, field crop pathologist with the Ontario... Read More

In the cattle industry, interest in new corn varieties stems from a desire to increase efficiency and production, whether utilized as a grain source, ensiled or left standing for winter grazing. Ensiled, corn offers high energy, a key to high milk production. And, although much of a silage's quality is determined by in-field management, harvest... Read More

While research shows fungicide applications in wheat and corn can often be justified by higher yields, the yield response to fungicides in soybeans is not as clear cut. Timing of fungicide application might be part of the formula for getting better than break-even returns, says Dave Hooker, field crop agronomist and assistant professor at the... Read More

Do you plan on taking a nitrate-nitrogen soil samples this spring, before planting? The test for nitrate-nitrogen levels can provide key information in how much fertilizer should be applied for a growing corn crop. And, making that decision gets easier and easier. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) has a handy... Read More

It's a disease that affects a number of significant crops in Canada, including vegetables, pulses, canola and even some forage species. And last year, some farmers saw particularly high levels of white mould in soybean crops across Ontario. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, or white mold, makes its mark on plants in lesions that appear water-soaked; white, fluffy... Read More

Wheat production in the United Kingdom hovers just below 200, 000 hectares (about a half a million acres). It's used for export markets, human consumption, and plays a key role in animal rations. Thanks in large part to the UK's temperate climate, yields of 120bu/ac are not uncommon. And, as you'll find in the following... Read More

While wheat breeders have traditionally focused on improving agronomic and milling characteristics of the crop, there's value to be gained by the wheat industry in focusing on nutrition as well, says a cereal research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The nutritional characteristics of wheat have generally remained unchanged while yield potential, disease resistance and... Read More