Once the corn crop is in the ground and up, it’s time to see just how you and the planter faired. It’s time for field scouting and evaluating stands, along with early herbicide applications or secondary nitrogen. Why it matters: Though there have been many advances in planting equipment, evaluation of corn and soybean stands […] Read more
Evaluating corn and soybean emergence
There is greater flexibility for soybeans, but looking at stands will indicate next steps
Corporate help for soil health is on its way
The importance of healthy soils is attracting the attention of newer private sector partners
Corporate interest in sustainable agricultural practices has grown in recent years, along with money toback it. Why it matters: Food manufacturers say they want agriculture to use more sustainable practices and are helping the industry achieve those goals. In March 2023, PepsiCo made a $216 million, multi-year pledge to study long-term practices geared to improving […] Read more
Survey an opportunity to learn about potato diseases
Goal is to uncover more about soft rots and blackleg
A provincial survey aims to establish a baseline of data on bacterial soft rots in potato storage and blackleg in fields during the 2024 growing season. The two diseases are common yet the bacterial species responsible are becoming more aggressive, particularly with the Dickeya genus, one of the newer species responsible for blackleg and soft […] Read more
Making Canada self-sufficient in phosphorus
A proposed project near Hearst could ease this country’s reliance on imports of a diminishing commodity
The demand for increased crop production continues, placing stress on domestic consumption but also in feeding the world. That makes the search for domestic sources of phosphate as much about self-sufficiency as it is food security.
Start the conversation on hard red winter wheat
Nitrogen price and availability led to a drop in Ontario hard red wheat acres
Wheat harvest is roughly three months away, and the industry value chain is assessing its needs for hard red winter wheat. Although no one defines the situation as critical, there are important markers to address. In spite of solid acreages of a little more than a million acres in 2023 and roughly 850,000 acres planted […] Read more
Accepting genome editing means society must benefit too
The Council for Agricultural Science and Technology offers recommendations to ensure plant breeding technologies continue to benefit agriculture
The rapid pace of change brought by genome editing tools has created many new opportunities for the agri-food industry, but they aren’t without challenges. Regulatory hurdles must be considered, and the tools must benefit society as well as the agriculture industry. Why it matters: Genome editing tools can greatly advance plant breeding progress through less […] Read more
Making efficient use of all that farm data
Just because growers have data doesn’t mean they use it
Launch of the first GPS yield monitors altered the world of on-farm data collection. That was followed by variable-rate technology, precision planting and aerial/satellite imaging. Most growers have now been accumulating data for 20 years or longer, and many have resolved to keep that data in the hopes of finding value from the gigabytes and […] Read more
An early view of Ontario fields
An open winter created opportunities for Ontario growers
Warm conditions in January and February sparked many Ontario growers to get a head start on the season by planting some cereals, frost seeding or adding sulphur or nitrogen to winter wheat. Peter Johnson said he was surprised at the amount of work done in those months, particularly during February. Why it matters: A warm […] Read more
Quicker tissue test available for corn growers this season
Testing for nutrients takes an in-field turn with newer technology
A nutrient-testing system first used in potatoes will be available for use in corn this year. The Leaf-Evaluated-Nutrient-System (LENS) unit from Picketa Systems, based in Fredericton, N.B., offers growers and crop advisers an efficient and cost-effective testing method for nutrients. The technology has been used in potato crops for the past three growing seasons, and […] Read more
Report can help corn growers plan for DON
Inaugural screening report reviews hybrid susceptibility to producing vomitoxin
The 2018 growing season is remembered for corn damage caused by gibberella ear rot infections and high concentrations of deoxynivalenol (DON). There were discrepancies and frustrations over acceptability of harvested loads. One elevator would reject a load but a second or third might take it, albeit with discounts for varying mycotoxin concentrations. Why it matters: […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
