Reports of hay shed fires this week in southern Ontario are a stark reminder to continue to monitor hay and straw after it has gone in to storage. This year's wheat harvest is proving challenging due to wet conditions, and that was before the tail end of Hurricane Beryl dumped between 4 and 7 inches... Read More
Category: Crop Production
Plenty of combines were rolling earlier this week before the wall of water that is the remnant of hurricane Beryl hit Ontario. Not only did this weather system bring sheets of rain, but it may also have brought more tar spot spores from the south. Tar spot has already been found in Ontario, says Peter... Read More
Cool, wet conditions, as seen in much of Western Canada during the early part of the 2024 growing season, are favourable for ascochyta, also called mycosphaerella blight, in peas. The first step in taking action is to make sure that an infection is caused by mycosphaerella and not a bacterial blight, for which fungicide is... Read More
Many farmers are excited to not have to worry about soil moisture this growing season, as recent drought conditions have broken for many areas of the Prairies. While rain truly is a good thing, it is also one of the things that is likely to trigger fungal diseases, such as fusarium head blight (FHB). Frequent... Read More
Sulphur is a critical nutrient for maximizing yield potential in canola, and since peak sulphur uptake for canola happens later in the growing season than peak nitrogen uptake, applying sulphate as late as early flowering can rescue yield that's at risk to being lost to a sulphur deficiency. Heavy rains can result in canola not... Read More
A large part of farming has always included trying new things to see what impact change can have on soil, crops yield, and ultimately profit margins. While traditional small plot research is imperative for testing new crop varieties, product efficacy, and evaluating individual management practices, there hasn't always been an easy route to take small... Read More
Different pulse crop types need a different weed-free window to reach maximum yield potential. Targeting weeds early — sometime as early as the year before — might be the best way to ensure that yield potential, but that's not always possible. What's the best course of action for in-crop weed control? To unpack the various... Read More
Canola growers can look forward to some new, short-season hybrid options in the 2025 line up. New from BASF for 2025 are InVigor L330PC and L333PC which feature strong standability, patented pod shatter resistance, first-generation clubroot resistance, and an R rating for blackleg. Growers can look for InVigor L341PC, also in the short-season 300 series... Read More
Finding a good day to spray isn't just about wind speed or direction — temperature and relative humidity matter, too. This growing season has thrown some super challenging conditions at growers and spray operators, as hot and humid weather, excessive rain, and early growth have thrown several wrenches in the best laid plans. For this... Read More
Why on earth should corn growers take a page out of wheat growers' handbook? Paul Sullivan of Sullivan Agro near Kinburn, Ont., says there are management lessons learned in wheat that apply to corn production, too. It all comes down to managing stress at key points in the growing season. Looking to the Great Lakes... Read More