Are you happy with the soybean varieties you planted in 2016? Looking for confirmation you’re making the best choices for your farm? Scouting for some new high-yielding prospects? A good place to start is the Ontario Soybean and Canola Committee (OSACC) trials, which are now available at GoSoy.ca. In this edition of Real Agriculture Soybean... Read More

The rain that helped Western Canadian farmers grow big wheat yields in 2016 also created some quality problems that are complicating the marketing of the 31.7 million tonne crop. Almost half (48.6 percent) of the Canada Western Red Spring wheat samples received by the Canadian Grain Commission in its voluntary harvest sample program were downgraded... Read More

Preliminary results from a three-year research project in North Dakota show row spacings in many soybean fields are too wide to reach their maximum yield potential. A team of agronomists and extension agents at North Dakota State University are surveying growers to generate baseline data on soybean management practices in the state. Their goal is... Read More

RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson stirred up a hornet’s nest earlier this year when he suggested Ontario cash croppers grow shorter-season soybeans so they can plant winter wheat earlier to optimize cereal yield. In this episode of Soybean School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' soybean specialist Horst Bohner weighs in on the debate.... Read More

Growing soybeans in Ontario in 2016 was a real nail biter. Even Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs soybean specialist Horst Bohner admits to being pretty nervous as the soybean crop struggled through a dry July. Many farmers were lucky when rains arrived in August, but a good portion of the province –... Read More

Seed companies are turning to new sources of resistance to protect canola against blackleg disease, as the pathogen population in Western Canada has adapted over the years. Until recently, most of the varieties marketed as "blackleg resistant" relied on what's known as the Rlm3 gene, explains Sakaria Liban, pathologist with DL Seeds, in this episode... Read More

Choosing the right genetics is the most important decision growers make when tackling leaf diseases such as northern corn leaf blight (NCLB). Fungicides applied in-season can provide both curative and preventative benefits, but the battle to fend off yield-robbing leaf diseases starts with your seed choice explains, OMAFRA field pathologist Albert Tenuta. In this episode... Read More

Update: The Canola Council of Canada has developed online calculators to determine your target plant density based on your individual field conditions, abilities and appetite for risk, as well as optimum seeding rate. You can find them at CanolaCalculator.ca. While the official industry recommendation for an optimal canola plant stand remains 7 to 10 plants... Read More