Over the past 20 years, advancements in corn genetics have helped produce an average yield gain of better than two bushels per acre, per year. What does the future hold for further yield advancement and where might genetic improvement take the king of crops? On this episode of the The Sharp Edge, host Bernard Tobin... Read More
Category: Research
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
Innovation, research and development has helped Winnipeg, MB-based, XiteBio rise to the top of the list of manufacturers of agricultural inoculants and biological products in North America. XiteBio’s Western Canada regional sales manager Jared Joyal says the company is powered by its in-house innovation, research and development (IRD) team, which is "constantly working on the... Read More
New herbicide tolerant technology such as Enlist and Xtend soybean systems have helped solve significant management challenges, especially when it comes to tackling glyphosate resistant Canada fleabane and waterhemp. But Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness weed specialist Mike Cowbrough says farmers need to be vigilant when scouting their crops because "nature abhors a... Read More
Farmers are keen to use drones for several passes over the field, including using UAVs for scouting and even spraying. But, to date, only one herbicide has been approved for spraying in Canada, and it’s for non-crop applications. Drones have come a long way in the last decade and the potential for agricultural uses are... Read More
The Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, a collaboration between the provincial government, the University of Guelph, and Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario (ARIO), will use $7.2 million to fund 44 Ontario-led research and innovation projects aimed at helping farmers and agribusinesses become more competitive. Funded projects focus on protecting animal and plant health, strengthening production systems,... Read More
A large part of farming has always included trying new things to see what impact change can have on soil, crops yield, and ultimately profit margins. While traditional small plot research is imperative for testing new crop varieties, product efficacy, and evaluating individual management practices, there hasn't always been an easy route to take small... Read More
While small plot research allows for well-controlled studies, it can be challenging for farmers to implement new findings at a farm scale. Variability in environment, soil, topography and equipment can change the outcome of practices that may have worked very well in small plots. One way to solve the issues experienced by growers when implementing... Read More
Olds College is receiving more than $3 million from the federal government to expand its Smart Farm operations in Saskatchewan and purchase new equipment for agricultural research. Dan Vandal, Minister of Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan), announced the funding at the school's main campus at Olds, Alta., on Wednesday as part of a broader announcement... Read More
Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced funding on Wednesday of up to $5.25 million for a new barley research cluster under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, which runs from 2023 to 2028. Industry and grower organizations have also committed $4.3 million, bringing total funding for the barley research cluster to $9.6 million over five years.... Read More