Erysiphe pisi, the pathogen that causes powdery mildew in peas, first becomes visible in spots on the upper surface of leaves, particularly those in the lower canopy. Once the fungus infects its host, it is quick to spread, coating the surfaces of plant tissue with a fine, blue-white powder. Powdery mildew in peas is largely... Read More
Category: Crop Schools
Chlorosis, or yellowing of leaf tissue in plants, can be an indicator of a great number of issues from nutrient deficient soils to poor root systems or saturated soils. Manitoba farmers especially are dealing with excess moisture this year, even outside of the flood zones along the Assiniboine River, and while soybeans do take standing... Read More
Any of a number of factors can cause a pulse crop to become nitrogen deficient, particularly issues with inoculant. Using the wrong Rhizobium species, applying inadequate rates or storing bacteria improperly can decrease the likelihood of proper root nodulation. Less controllable factors, like extreme plant stress or inoculant/soil desiccation can also have a huge impact.... Read More
Growing Degree Days (GDD) are an indicator of expected crop development based on weather conditions. GDDs are calculated by taking the mean temperature over a day and subtracting a base temperature. For most cereal grains, the base temperature is considered 5 degrees C, as they require around 1200 GDD to reach maturity. GDD = (Tmax... Read More
As canola moves into flower, farmers are doing a great job scouting, scouting and doing more scouting. If you're like most farmers, though, seeing insects immediately raises a red flag. While, yes, there are several pest species of note in the canola crop, not everything that moves or crawls on the crop is a pest.... Read More
If it's not raining, maybe it's time to tromps through the corn field. It doesn't take long for weed pressure to accumulate in a crop, especially in conditions where the crop canopy is slow to close. But deciding on a re-spray is every bit as complicated as deciding what to spray. Assessments should include staging,... Read More
What's your nitrogen management system for maximum corn yields? Do you plan on two applications? More? How do you decide how much and when? There are several great reasons to split applications of nitrogen — it's good risk management both to your pocketbook and the environment and a great way to capitalize on a crop... Read More
OK, you missed your window for that all important pre-seed burn. Things may have been a little soggy, you may have been a little busy...whatever the reason. The good news is you've still got a shot to get those beans poking up in a clean environment. It's crunch-time though, so in this episode of the... Read More
What's the toughest part of trying out a new crop? Once you get the equipment set up sorted out at seeding and harvest, it's on to crop diagnostics. Mother Nature tends to give farmers a bit of a break when it comes to disease and insect pressure in the first years of growing a crop,... Read More
Ensuring adequate nodulation starts with choosing the correct inoculant, keeping it alive prior to seeding and getting good coverage or placement. But what happens if, for any number of reasons, your pulse crop ends up with less than great nodules? What if you've got nodules that never pink up or seem to die off? In... Read More