Fast forward a few weeks. Picture the combine has started rolling in a canola field, and you're not quite happy with how much seed is being lost through the back of the machine. Should you increase cylinder/rotor speed? Open the upper sieve? Maybe adjust the pre-sieve? Decrease concave clearance? Increase fan speed? Decrease fan speed?... Read More
Category: Crop Schools
Canadian wheat has long been known for its high quality — as a premium wheat for blending into lower quality grain to meet minimum requirements for baking. But how does Canadian wheat stack up when it comes to cost of production, yield, and farmgate prices? Where does Canadian production fit in the context of increasing... Read More
Pulse Canada is always looking for ways to diversify markets, helping to create price stability for the commodity. In this episode of the Pulse School, field editor Dale Leftwich talks to Jackie Tenuta, director of market development for Pulse Canada, about the 25 by 2025 strategy. Tenuta explains "Essentially what it comes down to is... Read More
In any crop, it's just as important to know what is going on under the ground as it is to know what's going on above ground. In a pulse crop, it is particularly important because pulses fix their own nitrogen and you have to actually see the roots to know what is going on. In... Read More
We're nearly through the annual flight for bertha armyworm, and numbers are certainly concerning in some areas. If you've got canola headed in to podding, you need to scout — this nasty pest can cause a lot of damage in a short time. As canola moves past flowering and into podding, bertha armyworm will move... Read More
Some pests like it dry, some like it warm, and some need it windy to get where they want to go. And sometimes insect pests can surprise you and not nearly be as bad as anticipated. That's the story of the summer of 2018 — so far — according to Alberta Agriculture insect specialist, Scott... Read More
There are a lot of bugs on the prairie landscape — most are beneficial, but the few harmful ones tend to get most of the attention. Sometimes it's important to take a minute to find out who your friends are. There is a battle being waged in your fields, even if you can't see it.... Read More
Ever consider replacing your planter disc openers with high-pressured water jets? The concept is called aqua-till. The idea has been pioneered by the South Australian NoTill Farmers Association (SANTFA). Earlier this week, SANTFA research and development manager Greg Butler traveled north to Ontario to showcase the technology for farmers attending the annual FarmSmart Expo near... Read More
Wheat breeding is a poor cousin when you compare it to the investment and resources corn and soybean plant breeders have at their disposal to develop new and improved plant genetics. The arrival of CRISPR technology, however, is giving wheat breeders hope that they may finally get a leg up on their big-crop cousins. At... Read More
OMAFRA soybean specialist Horst Bohner is back on his tractor and rolling soybeans for a second year as part of a multi-year research trial. The fundamental idea behind the research is to somehow induce a response that will cause the soybean plant to become more bushy and produce more nodes. At meetings this winter, growers... Read More