Conditions Some thunderstorms through Essex provided some moisture, but most areas of the province received less than 5 mm over the long weekend and conditions throughout the province remain dry. Temperatures have transitioned from colder than normal to summer-like, and double-digit night-time temperatures have helped newly planted crops to emerge quickly. Cereals Early planted wheat […] Read more
Dry field conditions prevail, corn, soy planting nearly complete
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for May 26
Weather makes way for corn, soybean planting
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for May 19
Current weather patterns are generally expected to hold for the next week or so. This will allow for planting of corn and soybeans to be mostly complete by the last week of May, though many fields and farms will appreciate some rain soon, particularly in the far southwest (See Figure 1 below). Significant precipitation is […] Read more
Spring update for cereal crops and oilseeds
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for April 29
Winter wheat Winter wheat acreage is up by 8 per cent compared to the 2020 growing season (Statistics Canada). In general, the winter wheat crop looks very good throughout the province. Cold weather caused some temporary leaf necrosis (leaf tip burn) in a few fields. This leaf burn is sometimes made worse when a herbicide […] Read more
Understanding and managing low pH knolls
The OMAFRA Field Crop Team wants farmers to get to know their knolls
While high pH knolls tend to be more common in Ontario, often caused by soil erosion leaving higher pH calcareous subsoils, this is not the case for all regions. How do low pH knolls develop? Low pH knolls can develop on undulating landscapes where surface soils formed from deposits of sand, such as where glacial […] Read more
Testing soil for soybean cyst nematode
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for September 17
Soybean harvest has begun, and many growers have asked if they could sample for soybean cyst nematode this fall. For many growers, managing soybean cyst nematode (SCN) means planting SCN resistance varieties BUT effective SCN management does not end when you have selected your soybean varieties! It is imperative to not only know your SCN […] Read more
Managing eroded knolls
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for September 10
Field Crop News – We’ve all seen them. Hilltops. Whitecaps. High spots where the crop struggles year after year. Eroded knolls are common to Ontario agriculture and cost farmers in lost productivity each season. This article will explore knolls: how they’ve formed, how they differ, and how they can be managed or even re-mediated. How […] Read more
Getting the most from the water available to you
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for August 20
Field Crop News – Water is the most important limiting input for crop production. In more than a couple of the past years, producers across the province have been forced to watch while their crops suffer from dry conditions in the heat of summer. Other than irrigation (which is rare for field crops in Ontario), […] Read more
Tar spot in corn and soybean cyst nematode
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for August 13
This week we would like to discuss tar spot in corn as well as soybean cyst nematode and sudden death syndrome in soybean. Tar spot in corn There is a lot of discussion and questions surrounding tar spot this year in Ontario. Tar spot is a new corn disease in the U.S. midwest and since […] Read more
Three key topics for forage production
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for August 6
There are currently three key topics for forage production: nitrates, potato leafhopper, and planting annual forages for fall production. Nitrate poisoning of livestock is a risk in a dry year In a dry year, high nitrate levels in forages are a concern. Fast-growing grass species, such as corn, sorghum-sudangrass, and cereals are most likely to […] Read more
Post wheat harvest weed management strategies
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for July 30
The establishment of cover crops after cereal harvest has been shown to reduce weed seed production and dispersal to the soil. This is of particular benefit when trying to manage glyphosate resistant weed species like Canada fleabane and waterhemp (a relative of redroot pigweed). Some highlights from recent studies include: Fall planted cereal rye on […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
