If you've been talking to your neighbours about spraying, chances are you've heard that double nozzles are one way of increasing the number of droplets sprayed. Not necessarily, says spray application specialist Tom Wolf. "The unstated assumption behind that is that droplets are getting smaller when you have two nozzles instead of one," Wolf says.... Read More
Category: Video
How does your auger hopper look? Does it need a few more rolls of duct tape and a couple more square bales to keep it in service? If you think auger hoppers are in desperate need of a re-design you are not alone. Cue Hoffart Services, based at Odessa, Sask., who thought it was about... Read More
If you're putting off corral cleaning because it's painfully slow in a front-wheel assist tractor, and a little sketchy in smaller tractors (they're not actually designed to have only two wheels on the ground), the telehandlers at the Canadian Farm Progress Show might have caught your attention too. Buying a tractor or implement with only... Read More
With concerns around climate change, the availability of non-renewable resources, and increasing the sustainability of industries as a whole, it is not surprising that organizations like the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) are looking at ways to harness energy that is otherwise wasted. I recently spoke to Joy Agnew, project manager at PAMI, about their... Read More
Thriving in wet, soggy soils (and thus seldom acknowledged as a problem-pathogen in Canada), aphanomyces is difficult to differentiate from other root rot microorganisms based on symptomology alone. Molecular techniques and identification of spores in the lab are the best means of identification, and as of right now, there is no commercial test available for... Read More
Maximizing forage acre production may be an easy concept to work on in the office, but making decisions in the field isn't always that straightforward. How do you know whether or not a pasture needs some rejuvenation versus renovation? What factors play a role in getting the most out of existing acres, and what are... Read More
Having trouble deciding whether or not to spray for soybean aphids? Well, you're in luck: there's an app for that! In this episode of Soybean School, Tracey Baute, emtomologist with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, introduces The Aphid Advisor App, which uses pest and beneficial insect data collected by the user, in... Read More
By now you're fully aware of the importance of monitoring insect pests in your canola. So, you've collected and assembled your sweep-net, now what? The standard technique for sweeping is one 180 degree sweep for every quick step through the canola field (accompanied by the odd fall, of course). Sounds simple (and perhaps slightly embarrassing),... Read More
Have you been keeping an eye on the bertha armyworm monitoring trap numbers in your area? As we crawl closer to mid-July, it's important to be aware of regional risks, and have a good understanding of proper scouting techniques and spray timing. "You're going to have your best success spraying at night," says John Gavloski,... Read More
Plant health is affected by a multitude of factors, making identifying problems in a field a daunting task. Nobody is capable of identifying every nutrient deficiency, disease symptom, insect species or weed present. But, anyone involved in production should clearly understand the ins and outs of scouting, and what you'll need in order to ask... Read More