Why is it so important for corn growers to get their combine settings right before they roll into the field to harvest grain? University of Guelph Ridgetown College instructor and combine mechanic TJ Poehlman has a simple answer to that question. He says when growers are paying $800,000 or more for a combine and the... Read More
Category: Crop Schools
When it comes to choosing the next best canola hybrid, there's so much more to consider than yield. Maturity ratings and the disease package are also key, as is the herbicide tolerance trait for the required weed control. To add one more level to the hybrid selection process, canola growers now have the option of... Read More
Children have enjoyed playing with nesting dolls for years and years. You know the ones — where opening one doll leads to finding another, smaller doll inside. What does a delightful children's toy have to do with pea aphids in lentil crops? Let's explain. Pea aphids are parthenogenic and much like the beloved nesting dolls,... Read More
As the 2024 Ontario corn crop races to the finish line with help from a late summer stretch of hot weather, growers are now seeing the challenges created by spring planting conditions and pest and disease pressures. In some parts of the province, growers were able to get corn in the ground in late April,... Read More
With so many factors going into yields, it can be difficult to know whether farmers are reaching the potential of their wheat seed. It can be even more difficult to figure out how to increase yields and whether those increases can be accomplished through management decisions. Dr. Brian Beres, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food... Read More
It's time to plant winter wheat and we've asked Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson to give us his top five planting recommendations on this episode of RealAgriculture's Wheat School. Planting date is at the top of Johnson's tip list. When it comes to planting date there are no shortcuts, he says. Hitting that optimum window is... Read More
Field research shows that the best time to tackle tar spot with a fungicide is the VT/RI stage of corn development — when the tassel is visible and silks are emerging. That's the case again this year, says Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness plant pathologist Albert Tenuta. He's been testing fungicide treatments to... Read More
Soybean growers in Ontario are now seeing the impact of difficult spring planting conditions and a roller coaster growing season as they survey variability in crop maturity that's visible across farms and fields. On this episode of RealAgriculture Soybean School, BASF Canada agronomist Rob Miller offers tips on how to time harvest aid herbicide treatments... Read More
Soil test results from across North America show levels of several key crop nutrients are generally trending lower — a sign that nutrient removal rates are exceeding the replacement of those macronutrients, potentially limiting crop yields. For example, 46 per cent of soil samples from across North America tested below the critical level of phosphorus... Read More
Pulses are well known for their ability to fix their own nitrogen in-crop, but some farmers choose to add starter nitrogen at seeding. Is it worth it? While pulses have the ability to fix their own nitrogen, they may need a little help at the start of the year to bridge the gap between seed... Read More