Cover crops have long been touted for their ability to help maintain soil health, control erosion, reduce nutrient loss and improve soil fertility. But could they put grain and oilseed crops at risk by playing host to disease and pests? That’s a question OMAFRA field pathologist Albert Tenuta is trying to answer. In this video,... Read More
Category: Research
It’s been more than a year since the Canadian government’s decision to implement UPOV ’91 standards for Plant Breeders’ Rights. When it was ratified, the seed industry touted the agreement as a significant driver of new investment in crop breeding and genetics for Canadian farmers. In this Wheat School episode, Real Agriculture resident agronomist Peter... Read More
Wheat stripe rust is thriving in Ontario and growers are asking what can they do to manage a growing scourge of what European growers now refer to as ‘Yellow Death.' In this episode of Wheat School, Real Agriculture agronomist Peter Johnson takes you to the Ontario Cereal Crops Committee performance trials near Harriston, Ontario where... Read More
Bayer held a grand opening for its wheat breeding station at Pike Lake, Saskatchewan on Friday, and highlighted plans to make spring wheat hybrids available to Canadian growers within the next six to eight years. “Our aim is to develop hybrid spring wheat that offers improved yields, yield stability, disease resistance and productivity improvements tailored... Read More
Looking to add 15 to 20 bushels to your winter wheat yield? Depending on your base fertility level, seed-placed phosphorus could do the trick. In this episode of Wheat School, Real Agriculture resident agronomist Peter Johnson takes you on a tour of long-term phosphorus and potash trials at Lucan, Ontario. “In these research trials, we’re... Read More
If a corn plant emerges one, two or three days after its neighbour, will it yield less? Real Agriculture resident agronomist Peter Johnson is determined to find out. At the SouthWest Ag Conference last January, National Corn Growers Association yield contest champion Randy Dowdy challenged growers to plant a flag test on their farm to... Read More
To some growers, it's an old idea; to others, it's completely new. The concept of peola — intercropping peas and canola — has been around in Western Canada for decades, but with new varieties and weed control options, the practice seems to be gaining momentum again. In 2009, the Westman Agricultural Diversification Organization found an... Read More
What impact do bigger corn plants that stay greener longer have on soybean yield? That’s a question OMAFRA soybean specialist Horst Bohner hears a lot these days. The answer depends on a number of factors explains Bohner in this episode of Real Agriculture Soybean School. He notes that corn is indeed producing a larger amount... Read More
In theory, the application of a plant growth regulator to wheat should result in shorter, stronger plants that are less prone to lodging, enabling higher yield potential. In reality, it's not that simple. "I wish it was a nice black and white, straightforward story, but it certainly isn't," says Sheri Strydhorst, who's done extensive work... Read More
In this week’s Word, Peter Johnson, resident agronomist for RealAgriculture and host of this weekly podcast, shares highlights from the FarmSmart and YieldSmart conferences, Ag Days in Brandon, as well as answers to several specific questions on thin wheat stands, manure management, under-seeding with red clover and more. Have a question for Wheat Pete? Call... Read More