Erysiphe pisi, the pathogen that causes powdery mildew in peas, first becomes visible in spots on the upper surface of leaves, particularly those in the lower canopy. Once the fungus infects its host, it is quick to spread, coating the surfaces of plant tissue with a fine, blue-white powder. Powdery mildew in peas is largely... Read More
Category: Agronomy
Chlorosis, or yellowing of leaf tissue in plants, can be an indicator of a great number of issues from nutrient deficient soils to poor root systems or saturated soils. Manitoba farmers especially are dealing with excess moisture this year, even outside of the flood zones along the Assiniboine River, and while soybeans do take standing... Read More
Growing Degree Days (GDD) are an indicator of expected crop development based on weather conditions. GDDs are calculated by taking the mean temperature over a day and subtracting a base temperature. For most cereal grains, the base temperature is considered 5 degrees C, as they require around 1200 GDD to reach maturity. GDD = (Tmax... Read More
The importance of good spray coverage is emphasized in all kinds of agricultural publications, including product labels. But, according to Tom Wolf, spray application specialist with AgriMetrix Research and Training in this episode of Spray Tips, "the labels are remarkably silent on what good coverage actually is and how you can actually measure it." Wolf... Read More
As canola moves into flower, farmers are doing a great job scouting, scouting and doing more scouting. If you're like most farmers, though, seeing insects immediately raises a red flag. While, yes, there are several pest species of note in the canola crop, not everything that moves or crawls on the crop is a pest.... Read More
This week, Winnipeg, Man., hosted the World Congress on Conservation Agriculture — a three day event that brought together research and extension staff with farmers and industry to discuss the state of conservation agriculture all over the world. Conservation agriculture, a combination of zero-tillage, cover crops, extensive crop rotation and more, looks very different from... Read More
The disease pressure landscape changes as the season progresses and from year to year, but there are always the endemic threats that farmers have to manage for. Part of the disease scouting process includes knowing what to look for, including some new or rare pests that could be making their way into your growing region.... Read More
If it's not raining, maybe it's time to tromps through the corn field. It doesn't take long for weed pressure to accumulate in a crop, especially in conditions where the crop canopy is slow to close. But deciding on a re-spray is every bit as complicated as deciding what to spray. Assessments should include staging,... Read More
With three shiny, stainless steel counterparts amidst an array of hoses and nozzles, it's no surprise that JD Skiles Company's Pit Stop caught our attention last week at Canada's Farm Progress Show. The Pit Stop is a customizable chemical transfer system that enables applicators to hasten the filling process. The assembly is run by a... Read More
Mycotoxins can have devastating results when consumed, and in the livestock industry, poisoning seems to be on the rise, with perhaps the riskiest feedstuffs containing screenings. And it's no wonder, when manageable levels of alkaloids are not completely understood, a visual inspection can't quantify toxicity, and policies governing the sale of mycotoxin-contaminated screenings have a... Read More