As combines get rolling, ergot can be an unwelcome surprise in cereal crops. Beyond hurting yields, ergot can mean grade loss and extra marketing challenges if levels are high at harvest. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada plant pathologist Dr. Kelly Turkington says in this episode of RealAgriculture's Wheat School that ergot often isn’t visible until late... Read More
Category: Crop Schools
Shooting for a soybean crop that averages 100 bushels is a lofty goal, especially on the sandy soils of Ontario's Norfolk County. But Jason Robinson thinks he can hit that target, even in 2025's droughty growing conditions, with help from from a pivot irrigation system. On this episode of the RealAgriculture Soybean School, Robinson shares... Read More
Strip tillage has gained a foothold in corn and soybean fields across Ontario but few growers employ the tillage practice in edible beans. Thamesford, Ont., grower Matt Langford is trying strip tillage for the first time on his farm in 2025. He's looking to reduce tillage to combat erosion and manage corn residue on his... Read More
Understanding soil starts with getting your hands dirty, and that’s exactly what Alberta Grains’ Lara de Moissac encourages growers to do. In this Soil School episode, de Moissac joins RealAgriculture from Lacombe, Alta., to demonstrate how farmers can assess soil texture on their own farms. While it’s easy to focus on what’s happening above ground,... Read More
When should you soil test? How many cores do you need? How does the nutrient you're testing for impact the sampling protocol? We get answers to these questions and more from Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness corn specialist Ben Rosser and University of Guelph assistant professor Adrian Correndo on the latest episode of... Read More
Variable rate (VR) fertilizer is paying dividends at Pitura Seeds, a fifth-generation seed farm in Domain, Man., where the team is focused on reallocating resources to the most productive areas of the field. Laird Lampertz says in this episode of Profitable Practices that the farm’s shift in mindset has been key. Instead of targeting the... Read More
In 2024, Maizex agronomist Henry Prinzen saw a 27-bushel response to sulphur when 100 lbs of ammonium sulfate (AMS), 100 lbs of slow-release nitrogen and a late R3 fungicide application was applied in the seed company's research plot at Simcoe, Ont. The results caught the attention of soybean researchers, agronomists, and growers who have seen... Read More
Flowering canola fields buzz with activity – and not just from pollinators. In this episode of Canola School, Amber Bell speaks with Jennifer Otani, field crop entomologist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, about why canola is so attractive to many insects and which pests growers should be watching for at this critical stage and as... Read More
New edible bean varieties have been making headlines in recent years. In 2022, Dynasty, a dark red kidney bean that delivers high yield, disease resistance, and adaptability was named Seed of the Year in Canada. Two years later, the variety was named the University of Guelph's 2024 Innovation of the Year. On this episode of... Read More
Fungicide decisions in pulse crops are never one-size-fits-all and when it comes to timing, weather makes all the difference. As conditions shift from dry to wet across parts of Western Canada, growers are being reminded that disease risk hinges on the intersection of host, pathogen, and environment. In this episode of Pulse School, Robyne Davidson,... Read More