A&L Canada Laboratories Inc. is expanding its diagnostic tool offering with the addition of a soil microbe test, VitTellus BioSM. The test quantifies soil microbial populations that have been shown to improve soil health and greater crop productivity, the company says. VitTellus BioSM utilizes selective carbon sources to measure the concentration of specific functional microbial... Read More
Category: Crop Production
In what is sure to be a growing trend for at least the current growing season, Maizex Seeds has announced its plot tours this summer will all be held virtually. Farmers interested in attending can do so via an online platform or through the company's website. “We have invested in the digital tools necessary to... Read More
While you're out scouting your peas, lentils, or faba beans for disease at early flowering, have a look for pea aphids too. "Flowering is a good time to be scouting for aphids in peas," says John Gavloski, provincial entomologist with Manitoba Agriculture and Resource Development. "The most damage they can do is going to occur... Read More
"It is hot!" says Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson in this episode of the Wheat School. And that heat is taking a bite out of wheat yields. Wheat is a cool season crop and does not like heat, so when temperatures start to climb yield can be impacted. The most critical stage is at filling. It... Read More
The Prairie Pest Monitoring Network (PPMN) has launched a new website to help farmers and agronomists predict insect risks, monitor insect populations, and find information to help scout for pests, time their scouting activities, and to make decisions about using chemical controls. The site, Prairiepest.ca, expands the functionality of the previous PPMN blog, says Jennifer... Read More
It has long been believed that soybean doesn't flower until after the summer solstice — June 21, the longest day of the year. Research from Dr. Shawn Conley and his team from the University of Wisconsin-Madison says otherwise, and in this episode of Soybean School, Conley joins Bernard Tobin to chat about early flowering in... Read More
Ontario's fruits and vegetable farms are labour intensive and highly dependent on seasonal agricultural workers. COVID-19 has interrupted regular flows of worker travel and has resulted in some gaps in labour availability. COVID-19 outbreaks at a few large horticulture businesses has put further pressure on labour availability. The labour shortage could mean some crops go... Read More
Ashburton, New Zealand farmer Eric Watson has set a Guinness World Record for wheat yield — a second time. Finishing up at 258.8 bushels per acre, the feed wheat paddock produced 17.398 tonnes per hectare in a region that averages about 12 tonnes/hectare. Watson's farm grew a record 16.791 tonnes per hectare wheat crop in... Read More
We're starting to see some flowering in canola and with that, scouting for sclerotinia is on the to-do list. Justine Cornelsen, with the Canola Council of Canada, based out of Manitoba, joined Kara Oosterhuis in this latest episode of Canola School. "It comes down to environmental conditions," says Cornelsen, "Do you have enough moisture? Is... Read More
A new Oat Procurement Program from Richardson Pioneer will change which pre-harvest aid products are used on milling oats, which could impact oat producers on the Prairies. Last month, a newsletter to Prairie Oat Growers Association (POGA) members contained a notice that Richardson Pioneer would be focusing on sourcing Canadian oats that have not been... Read More