As the hot, dry weather continues across much of the prairies, many growers are wondering "do I even need to desiccate my pulse crops?" It's not always easy to know what the benefits of desiccation are (or aren't) in your peas and lentils, and in this Pulse School episode, Sherrilyn Phelps, agronomy specialist with Saskatchewan... Read More
Category: Crop Production
Agriculture's Big 6 seed and chemical companies are pretty busy these days sorting through the details of mergers and acquisitions and keeping an eye on their mega competitors. The club, which includes BASF, Bayer, DuPont, Dow, Monsanto and Syngenta, are deep into their post commodity boom strategies, with a key focus on efficiency and shareholder... Read More
"What would happen if we bumped nitrogen rates up by 10 percent? Or vice versa? Should we apply boron? What about foliar product XYZ?..." As a grower, you're constantly considering different ideas on to get the best return on investment in a given crop, but with all the variables in farming, it's often difficult to... Read More
The painted lady caterpillar, also known as the thistle caterpillar, is typically something pulse growers in Western Canada have seen as a beneficial insect. This is because it feeds on Canada thistle. However, as seen in 2017, the painted lady caterpillar also likes to chew on soybeans, causing leaf damage and potential yield losses. In... Read More
It’s hard to find a farmer these days who doesn’t see some of the benefits cover crops can bring to their operation. From reduced soil erosion to improved soil structure, nutrient recycling, moisture retention and much more – the list of benefits is long and impressive. But how much is too much? Where and when... Read More
Herbicide resistance is not new in Canadian agriculture, but managing it is becoming a higher priority as the scope of herbicide resistant weeds grows. In Western Canada, number one on the 'economically important' list is resistant wild oats, notes Bob Blackshaw, weed scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, in this Wheat School episode. "It's the... Read More
Rye is working hard to shed its reputation for lower yields, weak agronomics and poor standability when compared to other grain crops. With the arrival of new hybrid rye varieties in Ontario, it looks like rye's days of being relegated to cover crop status in the province are over. Quite simply, growers, seed companies, agronomists... Read More
Mother Nature has given the prairies many different crop conditions this year, and Saskatchewan is no exception to this rule. For the most part, Saskatchewan pulse growers are seeing very dry conditions, although this has helped keep disease levels down, notes Sherrilyn Phelps, agronomy specialist with Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, in this latest Pulse School episode.... Read More
A harvest update — yes, combines have started rolling in parts of Ontario — as RealAg agronomist Peter Johnson expresses his excitement for harvest in this week's Word. There are also concerns about white mold, western bean cutworm, and aphids, to discuss. Learn about these issues, and much more, in this week's episode of Wheat... Read More
2017 may well be remembered for the spring that just kept on giving. From flooding to hail, Mother Nature threw just about every challenge imaginable at Ontario farmers during the early portion of the growing season. But despite difficult conditions that wreaked havoc on spring tillage, planting, weed control and nutrient application, farmers have persevered.... Read More