Category: Crop Schools

The decision whether to spray a fungicide for sclerotinia stem rot always comes back to the disease triangle — a susceptible host, the presence of the pathogen, and a favourable environment — and many canola-growing areas currently have all three. Under "favourable environment," sclerotinia requires moist soil conditions to germinate. The last few years have... Read More

Maximizing nitrogen uptake is a main priority for pulse growers and ensuring success starts with being knowledgeable about identifying proper nodulation. Mike Palmier, with MaxAg Consulting, joins us for this episode of the Pulse School, where we discuss when to scout for nodulation, why it's important, how to assess if nodules are healthy. What happens... Read More

Fungicides can deliver a strong defence against fusarium head blight (FHB) in wheat, but how the product is applied in-crop plays a key role in determining whether growers successfully protect those valuable wheat heads. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Wheat School, Syngenta agronomist Brad Garlough shares fusarium application insights and best practices accumulated from... Read More

Corn growers often turn to tissue testing to diagnose a problem. When plants in a field are yellowing or pale, grabbing a sample and sending it to the lab can seem an obvious way to confirm a nutrient deficiency. But there's more to the tissue testing story than simply identifying a problem and finding a... Read More

Canola seedlings have experienced a tough start in many areas of the Prairies this year. In Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan, the crop has had to come through flooding, broadcast seeding, compaction, crusting, and flea beetles (stay away, grasshoppers), while it's been the opposite soil moisture scenario in drought-stricken parts of Alberta and western Saskatchewan. In... Read More

Every year soybean growers invest in weed control to keep their fields clean. But quite often, new, uninvited weed pests enter fields. Where do they come from? How do they break though weed control defences and gain a foothold in fields? On this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, OMAFRA weed specialist Mike Cowbrough looks... Read More

There are two main species of flea beetles across the Prairies: the striped flea beetle and the crucifer flea beetle. Both can have devastating impacts on the canola crop, however, they have a few differences between them. As Héctor Cárcamo, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) at Lethbridge, Alta., explains, the crucifier flea... Read More

In Ontario, corn growers are approximately six weeks into the growing season and now is a great time to do a couple tests to reassess the nitrate levels and decide on what the best plan is to sidedress nitrogen, on a field by field basis. Deb Campbell, agronomist with Agronomy Advantage, joins us for this... Read More

Soil-applied herbicide is the foundation of weed management for food grade non-GMO soybeans. But escapes do happen, and when weeds evade control, growers need to act. On this episode of RealAgriculture Soybean School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs weed specialist, Mike Cowbrough, shares tips on how IP growers can tackle weedy escape... Read More

Soybeans have been slow to emerge and establish across Ontario this spring as cooler weather has tempered the vigour of the heat-loving crop. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) soybean specialist Horst Bohner notes that the crop tends to flourish early in the season when the daytime temperature reaches 28 degrees C... Read More