Tar spot is taking a bite out of yields in some Ontario corn fields but there is hope that growers will have effective tools to manage the leaf disease. Characterized by tar-like speckling on the upper surface of corn leaves, the fungal pathogen has been delivering yield hits ranging from 20 to 60 bushels per... Read More
Category: Crop Schools
Soil sampling and having a fertility plan in place might be even more important after a drought year. There's a good chance that the fertilizer applied in the spring wasn't used up by crops. Where yields were lower than anticipated, it's a good idea to get into the field, and see what's left in terms... Read More
How late can you plant winter wheat and still get an amazing plant stand? As agronomist Peter Johnson discovers on this episode of RealAgriculture's Wheat School, even wheat planted in mid-November can deliver a top crop. Earlier this summer he visited with C&M Seeds research agronomist Mike Holzworth at the company's variety testing site. Johnson... Read More
Trees tend to generate an emotional response from most cash croppers — some growers love them, others hate them. The joy or angst typically stems from the impact the large, expansive perennial plants have on growing crops. On this episode of Corn School, RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson looks back at the research of Dr. Charles... Read More
Believe it or not, there hasn't been an updated survey on wireworm species across Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba since 1943. That all changes now that a research team has taken on the task. Ted Labun, seedcare technical lead for Western Canada at Syngenta Canada, explains in this Wheat School episode why the survey needed to... Read More
Drought in 2021 has caused some crops to not use all of the available nutrients in soil, and soil tests suggest that some fields have elevated soil nitrate levels. High soil nitrate levels can pose a problem for next year's soybean crop, as they can prevent nodulation from happening which could prove a problem later... Read More
Corn rootworm can be a major yield-robber and this year more than most, it's on everyone's minds. Amanda Craven, agronomist at PRIDE Seeds is joined by Bernard Tobin for this Corn School episode to talk resistance management, how rotation helps, and how corn rootworm affects yield. "What we're seeing this year, in our corn-on-corn fields,... Read More
After a drought, lingering effects of herbicides can really pose a threat for the next cropping year. In this Canola School episode, Breanne Tidemann, research scientist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe, Alta., explains why there's a risk for herbicide carryover from residual products for the upcoming crop year. Tidemann says that it's important to... Read More
The Herrema family have been giving back since Gary Herrema emigrated from Holland to farming country in Ontario's Durham Region in 1949. The Uxbridge, Ont. farm family has always been active in local fairs, farm and community groups, and municipal politics. They also believe investing in their soil is vital for the health of their... Read More
Erosion could be an issue for pulse crop fields after harvest, especially if the header was set very low and there's minimal residue leftover. Edible beans in particular are a tricky crop for "field aftercare" as there is very little residue left over, and harvest requires undercutting, increasing the potential for soil wind erosion. Scott... Read More