Successfully securing funding for a new zero-till drill or a nitrogen-saving fertilizer treatment feels good, but one-off payouts to farmers as a funding model for advancing agriculture in the big picture is short-sighted, says Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson, RealAgriculture's resident agronomist. Johnson is firmly on the side of funding big-picture research and extension. And for... Read More
Category: Research
Saskatchewan Pulse Growers (SPG) has announced funding for two pulse-related genomic research projects, co-funded through Genome Canada's Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems initiative (CSAFS). SPG's $1.4 million will contribute to the total pulse research and development investment of over $12.8 million for the two, four-year projects that aim to develop information and tools for breeding... Read More
Goooooood day, and welcome to this episode of Wheat Pete's Word! On this episode of The Word, host Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson asks about BIG soybeans, bad weeds, and of course, seeing as it's the end of August — it's agronomy, agronomy, agronomy. Have a question you’d like Wheat Pete to address or some field... Read More
Small plot research has its place, however, there is a need for field-scale research, too. When you take research to field scale, it allows for genetic and environmental interactions that may not show up in small-plot results, says Jagroop Kahlon, of Alberta Pulse Growers (APG). Kahlon presented about the APG Plot to Field program at... Read More
As slow-release products and split applications become more common in the pursuit of fertilizer efficiency, it's important to understand the timing of when a crop needs those nutrients to avoid situations where fertilizer that's been applied is not available when the plants need it. The agronomy team at Manitoba equipment dealer Enns Brothers is in... Read More
New technologies may work in the lab or in a research setting, but can they provide value in the real-world on a modern, large-scale commercial farm? That's the basic premise behind a unique arrangement that has come to be known as "Innovation Farms," just northwest of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Grosse Isle-area farmer and long-time seed grower... Read More
Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced a federal investment of over $4 million in Saskatoon on Tuesday for agronomy research through the Western Grains Research Foundation (WGRF). It will be matched with more than $1.9 million from WGRF itself, and $1.5 million from grower groups and industry partners, bringing total funding for the second iteration... Read More
Growers looking for disease and weed control in winter wheat will often apply a herbicide-fungicide tank mix at the four-leaf stage (T1). This strategy helps defend the crop against early-season diseases such as powdery mildew and also tackles problem weeds, but there may be other benefits such as protecting the crop from a frosty springtime... Read More
Nufarm has announced a large research partnership with Old College in Alberta worth a million dollars over five years. The crop protection company says it will establish its first technology development station in Canada at the college, which will include up to 80 acres of land for trials, as well as access to Olds College's... Read More
Students, researchers, and industry will soon have a new facility at the University of Manitoba to dig in to questions on agriculture systems and the Canadian food supply. The Prairie Crops and Soils Research Facility, a new $20.7 million, state-of-the-art 20,000-sq.-ft. facility is set to open in June, 2026. Announced Tuesday, funding for the Prairie... Read More