The time is coming when farmers will check an in-field diagnostic tool for presence of a disease or insect and know it's time to apply a crop protection product. We're not exactly there yet, but sensor technology and apps are advancing to the point where it's possible to get diagnostics on a field-by-field basis. One... Read More
Category: Crop Production
When out walking corn fields, growers will often come across what look like branches off of the main stalk of the plants. Tillers can be found on many grass plants, and while being an essential part of other crops, producers often do not know what to make of seeing them in their corn crop. In... Read More
Big corn acres in the U.S. and dandy looking crops in the west have created a bit of a supply issue for markets, one that could be helped by some serious export demand. Whether or not that demand materializes as prices fall is the billion dollar question. For this early July grain market update, we... Read More
United Farmers of Alberta Cooperative Limited (UFA) has acquired all of Ceres Global Ag Corp.'s 17 per cent stake in Canterra Seeds. The share purchase agreement, dated July 2, 2024, is worth C$2,500,000 or approximately C$1.94 per Class A share in the Winnipeg, Manitoba-based seed company. "Today's announcement marks an investment in western Canadian agriculture,"... Read More
How much does lodging affect yield? It all depends on when the crop goes down. Evidence of that is showing up on Ontario yield monitors in the winter barley fields and will be coming to a wheat field near you in the coming week, says Peter Johnson, host of Wheat Pete's Word. The other thing... Read More
Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous move quite differently though the soil, and understanding how they travel is key to helping growers choose the best application strategies. Phosphorous, for example, tends to be more like a tortoise, moving slowly and methodically. Nitrogen, on the other hand, is the hare, racing quickly through the plant root... Read More
Soybeans are one crop that have had a pretty excellent decade. Managing the crop at the field level is a farmer's job, but ensuring the crop moves freely and on-demand globally is part of what Soy Canada does. Brian Innes is the executive director for Soy Canada, which held its annual general meeting and a... Read More
To pulse producers, grasshoppers represent both a significant challenge and a potential threat. With last year being hot and dry across the Prairies, growers are wondering what the current growing season will hold for these resilient crop consumers. Farmers and agronomists alike hope that the cool, wet spring might keep pulse crops safe from the... Read More
Proper staging is important for understanding how to scout and manage corn, whether for timing fertilizer, herbicide, insecticide or fungicide applications. It's also critical for understanding plant development, and how stressors at different stages can affect results, including yield, cob size, and kernel weight. But the problem is there are multiple ways to measure corn's... Read More
Wild weeds. Ponding. Carryover damage. Cutworm feeding. What's the biggest agronomic challenge facing you right now? It's officially summer and that means the crop is growing rapidly (we hope!), but it also means each crop stage brings a new set of challenges to overcome. While conditions vary wildly between geographies, both Ontario and western Canada... Read More