Much of the province has completed harvest of both winter and spring cereals over the last two months. Growers must now make a decision on what to do with these fields through the fall. Option 1: Monitor and manage cereal re-growth Cereal crops often have significant regrowth throughout the summer and fall months, even with […] Read more
Managing bare soils in the field after harvest
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of August 26
How do cover crops impact nitrous oxide emissions?
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of August 19
Cover crops help build soil carbon, reduce erosion, and can offset crop nitrogen fertilizer requirements. But when it comes to nitrous oxide (N2O) – a greenhouse gas that contributes about half the total warming effect from agriculture in Canada1 – there is a question mark surrounding their benefit. What the research says The primary driver of […] Read more
Scout your soybeans for pest, disease issues
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of August 5
August is the most critical month for soybean growth, development, and setting final yield. It’s important to scout fields to assess production issues and take control measures if necessary to maximize yield potential. Bean leaf beetles Bean leaf beetles feed on leaves and the surface of the pod, leaving only a thin film of tissue […] Read more
Corn diseases, fungicide timing, fungicide resistance and nematode surveys!
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of July 22
Corn diseases such as tar spot, northern corn leaf blight, common rust, gray leaf spot are easy to spot this year especially in areas which have had considerable rain events. The good news is the incidence and severity has still been low as many corn fields are or will be tasseling over the next 2 weeks. […] Read more
Considerations for the right place for manure
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of July 8
When it costs more to apply manure to high fertility fields than the manure is worth, it may be time to consider other options. Fertilizer is expensive. Anyone growing crops knows that maintaining good soil fertility is essential to maintaining yields. Livestock farmers have fertility built into the system and often soil fertility levels, especially […] Read more
Nodulation and nitrogen use in dry beans
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of July 1
In late June, adzuki beans that had been in the ground for 3 weeks already had a few nodules on the roots (see photo at top), and the nodules were active (pink inside when split open). Another field of adzuki planted in the same region around the same time did not have any nodules on […] Read more
Crop Report: The good, the bad and the difficult
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of June 20
Crop growth and conditions continue to be variable across the province. While crops look good in areas that were able to be planted either early or as per normal and into decent soil conditions, other areas have been delayed significantly by continued rainfall. Understandably, this has been a difficult time for those growers. There is […] Read more
Spring planting challenges continue for Ontario growers
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of June 13
The 2024 planting season will become the new bookmark for comparing challenging spring conditions for planting. Heavy-textured soils combined with frequent rainfall have resulted in significant acres intended for corn (up to 15 per cent) being transitioned to soybeans. In fields where herbicides and nitrogen have already been applied, options are more limited. Corn silage, […] Read more
Corn planting nears completion, first cut alfalfa begins
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of June 6
Field Conditions Significant planting progress has been made in many areas across the province over the last two weeks. Some growers were able to wrap up their corn, soybean and edible bean planting and apply their T3 fungicide applications in wheat. However, those on heavier soils or those who have received persistent rainfall, have not […] Read more
Field conditions in Ontario seen as ‘frustrating’
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of May 30
It continues to be a frustrating spring for field conditions through much of the province. Frequent precipitation has continued to cause delays in tillage, planting, and spraying in some areas, and weather earlier this week has shut down field work once again in many areas. However, with 3–5-day windows of good weather, many producers have […] Read more
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