Since being found in Ontario in 2000, swede midge has had a rather hasty spread, with adults being found as early as 2007 in some areas in Saskatchewan. Until the past couple of years, however, western Canadian farmers reported finding few symptoms of swede midge damage, which can include anything from fused flower petals to... Read More
Category: Agronomy
Bees, pollinators and honey-makers alike, are enjoying some much deserved attention right now. There was a time not too long ago when many consumers had no inkling of the importance of pollinators in our food supply. Unfortunately, much of the added attention stems from recent bee deaths, the mysterious colony collapse disorder (CCD) and controversy... Read More
We all have them or have seen them — the areas where crop productivity falls near null, and foxtail barley encroachment begins. Areas affected by high salinity are often referred to as alkali sloughs, and are considered for remediation. Years of no- or minimum-till farming across the prairies has certainly helped the situation, says Kelly... Read More
A soil test can give a good indication of nutrient inputs necessary for a healthy crop, (provided the sample is representative --- more on this later). But besides something to consider in the spring, a soil sample may also be a tool for in-season plant health diagnostics. In these circumstances, the role of a test... Read More
I've seen my share of unintentional intercrop — lentils and mustard that just HAD to grow together, I guess (I call that one 'lustard') — but did you know there may be very profitable reasons to intentionally grow two crops on the same land in the same year? While intercropping is not rare on a... Read More
You've seen UAVs at work and added one to your Christmas list. You've mapped out management zones using data from a Veris machine or imagery from a satellite. You have GPS-referenced yield maps and a GreenSeeker in your back pocket. You are the farmer who loves a good gadget and wants imagery to make field... Read More
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
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