Water walks, not runs, off Seth Watkins' farm. That's the first of three principles Watkins uses to guide the agronomic decisions he makes on Pinhook Farms, based in Iowa. Watkins, who raises corn, soybeans and cattle across several counties in Iowa, spoke recently at the World Congress on Conservation Agriculture to share his experience with... Read More
Category: Agronomy
Farmers interested in growing winter wheat now have access to the first-ever winter wheat variety with an R rating to fusarium head blight. CANTERRA SEEDS announced today the official launch of AC Emerson winter wheat, with certified seed available to growers for fall planting in 2014. AC Emerson winter wheat was developed by Dr. Rob... Read More
Foxtail barley, or Hordeum jubatum, is a perennial bunchgrass with good tolerance to both salinity and spring flooding. Because of its relatively shallow root system, foxtail barley is quite susceptible to tillage as a management tool, however, due to the shift to low-till or no-till cropping techniques, this method isn't always an option. Increasing seeding... Read More
Palmer amaranth could be the next glyphosate resistance weed problem for Ontario farmers. University of Arkansas weed scientist Jason Norsworthy calls it “pigweed on steroids.” Norsworthy, who first saw glyphosate-resistant palmer amaranth in Arkansas in 2006, says the weed can grow two to three inches a day after it reaches four inches tall. “You can... Read More
There's a difference between new technology that becomes a useful tool and new technology that's just a toy. The difference is largely in the practical application of what any given technology makes possible. Exhibit A: the smartphone — great and powerful technology, but likely also overwhelmingly used to share silly cat videos and status updates.... Read More
The United Nations named 2013 the International Year of Quinoa for the crop's potential contribution to global food security, and to recognize the indigenous people of the Andes who have long grown and protected quinoa. The global efforts to recognize the food have seemed fruitful, with interest in the product continuing to grow. Often referred... Read More
If there ever was a "perfect" spray day, it would likely be embellished with a flat sprayer tire or a busted hydraulic hose. Let's face it, some years, even days with good conditions are few. Something is always on a spray applicator's mind, whether it's temperature extremes, the potential for precipitation, high windspeed, an inversion... Read More
By the time symptoms of fusarium head blight (FHB) show up in the crop, it is too late to halt disease development (though you may be able to manage fusarium kernels with the combine). This makes managing the disease a little more complicated, as spray applicators and producers have to assess the history of... Read More
Today, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz announced a $1 million investment in a four-year surveillance project to be initiated by the Beekeepers Commission of Alberta. The project will span the country, and will document the health profile of Canadian bee colonies. The project, which will support Canada's position for international honey bee stock trade, will record... Read More
Growing a bumper crop of corn requires a big meal of plant nutrients. But if you're going to feed a hulk of a plant, you've got to make sure you protect it too. Fungicides may not always be warranted, but if the yield potential is there and conditions are right for disease development, a fungicide... Read More