A couple weeks ago there was a good discussion on Twitter discussing the varying thousand kernel weights (TKW) of canola coming from suppliers this season. I hear this discussion pop up every spring, it seems like, and no wonder. Average TKWs on seed fluctuate from year to year, yes, but there's been a trend to... Read More
Category: Crop Production
"You shouldn't plant until your soil is fit." It's a great quote, but what does "fit" soil look like? Well, it's not just what it looks like, soil fit for planting corn also needs to be warm, though we use the term loosely here in Western Canada. The fact is, regardless of how dry or... Read More
If seeding early is the Robertson screw driver of the disease management tool box, genetic resistance is the giant sledge hammer — effective, reliable, easy to use. But unlike actual tools that do the same job over and over again, genetic resistance — that is, resistance to a disease or pest that's built in to... Read More
Deciding on rates of nitrogen application for any crop can be a daunting task, but with winter wheat's unique growing season, the choice is even further challenged by timing. Applying nitrogen in the fall can reduce the need to get in early in the spring, but could be a bit of a gamble dependent on... Read More
The Alberta Wheat Commission (AWC) announced today that Tom Steve has been named as the organizations new general manager, effective as of June, 2014. Steve was most recently the general manager of the newly formed Saskatchewan Wheat and Barley Commission. In the past, he's worked for the government of Saskatchewan and with United Grain Growers... Read More
What's the right choice for nozzle fan angle? 80 degrees or 110 degrees? That's this Spray Tips' Question of the Week and that discussion leads very nicely into the topic of this episode — ideal boom height. How do we select the right boom height? Nozzle fan angle does play a role, but so does... Read More
Just as in money management, investments you make in your farm's soil nutrient bank account may be short or long term. Depending on the nutrient, crop yields, the weather and soil type, nutrient levels and availability may need immediate deposits or a long-term plan to ensure there's enough "money" there when the crop needs it.... Read More
The Canola Council of Canada is alerting farmers that existing genetic resistance to clubroot may not prove effective in all Alberta fields. Dr. Stephen Strelkov of the University of Alberta led the analyses of several field samples, and data suggests that some forms of clubroot resistance are "no longer functioning well" against the disease in... Read More
As Ontario farmers head to the field to plant corn and soybeans, they'll get their first opportunity to use Fluency Agent, the new Bayer CropScience seed lubricant replacing talc and graphite. Over the past winter there's been much discussion in agriculture about the health of bees and other pollinators. As a means of integrating as... Read More
By Karen Lewis As farmers across the central U.S. corn belt scramble to prevent the spread of western corn rootworm resistance to Bt corn, Prairie wheat growers are being urged to be diligent in their stewardship efforts to protect midge tolerant wheat technology. “Resistance to corn rootworm technology is really a cautionary tale for Prairie... Read More