On-farm efficiency is certainly a hot topic in today's agricultural climate. But are we getting a little too keen for speed in the sprayer? We've heard often the importance of patience while seeding (check out the Canola School on seeding speed/depth from 2013), but sprayers are often exceeding 15mph in the field. This can have... Read More
Category: Agronomy
The risk of herbicide carry over can sometimes be overlooked when changing cropping plans or trying something new, but herbicide residue can have a drastic impact on susceptible crops, sometimes as long as years after application. Chemical breakdown times vary, subject to soil temperature and moisture. For some chemicals, susceptible crops can be seeded shortly... Read More
Soybean varieties that are tolerant to both glyphosate and dicamba herbicides are one step closer to being introduced to the North American market. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced its decision on January 15th to deregulate Monsanto’s Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybean trait, meaning the company’s glyphosate and dicamba-tolerant soybeans have now received regulatory consent... Read More
Do you plan on taking a nitrate-nitrogen soil samples this spring, before planting? The test for nitrate-nitrogen levels can provide key information in how much fertilizer should be applied for a growing corn crop. And, making that decision gets easier and easier. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) has a handy... Read More
It's a disease that affects a number of significant crops in Canada, including vegetables, pulses, canola and even some forage species. And last year, some farmers saw particularly high levels of white mould in soybean crops across Ontario. Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, or white mold, makes its mark on plants in lesions that appear water-soaked; white, fluffy... Read More
Change happens fast in agriculture. Just a century ago, Canadian farmers were behind a horse and plow. Today, we talk about cab comfort, the potential for unmanned aerial vehicle spraying, smart phone apps and biotechnology. The seed industry is no different. The process of collecting and testing a sample of seed is continually evolving as... Read More
Wheat production in the United Kingdom hovers just below 200, 000 hectares (about a half a million acres). It's used for export markets, human consumption, and plays a key role in animal rations. Thanks in large part to the UK's temperate climate, yields of 120bu/ac are not uncommon. And, as you'll find in the following... Read More
More than $10 million in government and producer funding for crop-related research was announced during the CropSphere meetings in Saskatoon on Tuesday. After announcing $3.3 million for Pulse Canada's marketing efforts, Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz joined Saskatchewan Ag Minister Lyle Stewart to pledge almost $6.9 million for 42 crop research projects through the Saskatchewan... Read More
It's too early to say how big a problem verticillium wilt could become for the Canadian canola industry, but it should be on the radar for growers, says the crop pathologist taking the lead on the new disease issue within Manitoba Agriculture. As reported by Real Ag last week, the first known case of Verticillium... Read More
Want to do a health check up on your topsoil, but not a soil expert? Easy! Get digging in the fence row or nearby woodlot for a good gauge on how different the fields are from what they were before being farmed. Anne Verhallen, soil management specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and... Read More