Waterhemp has been confirmed as resistant to multiple modes of action across as many as 18 counties in Ontario.

Waterhemp is the new “oh-no” weed

Ontario biotypes are resistant to up to five different herbicide groups

It’s no longer a matter of ‘if’ waterhemp comes to your farm, it’s ‘when.’ Those were the words of Richard Anderson, a business representative with BASF, speaking last month at the Southwest Agricultural Conference at University of Guelph’s Ridgetown Campus. It was probably the most pertinent take-home message from a panel discussion on tackling waterhemp, […] Read more

Soybeans are adaptable and capable of thriving as far north in Ontario as Earlton — and maybe farther.

Soybean production heading north

A combination of climate and enhanced genetics makes it possible

A silver lining to climate change is that a warming trend would favour a northern migration for crop production. That could spell everything from more acres of corn in the West to the development of more diverse crop rotations in Ontario’s Northern Clay Belt, the Thunder Bay region and possibly the Fort Frances/Rainy River area. […] Read more

Soils stay warmer with the onset of winter and there’s also some weed suppression.

A different cover option for soybeans

Broadcasting rye offers more harvest management options, improved soil health

Growers often fall into two categories: those who follow convention and those who set their own pace amid questions from others.   Meet Reuben Stone.  Operating a value-added farm business near Cobden, Ont., Stone grows several specialty crops including peas and hemp, while servicing a growing cover crop market. In the latter discipline he’s made […] Read more


Mature soybeans in Huron County, Ont. in a field with strong yields.

Challenging soybean season shows management lessons learned

Two agronomists say soybean yields are better than expected due to genetic improvements and better knowledge among growers

Soybeans have a reputation for being able to overcome stresses while yielding a decent crop. The 2023 growing season tested this reputation, from late planting in parts of Ontario, a short dry spell immediately after that, and a wetter-than normal summer. Growers across much of the province expected to see yield losses compounded by a […] Read more

The sclerotinia mapping project seeks to identify white mould in soybeans plus canola and edible beans (pictured).

White mould mapping project underway

The current goal is to amass a large database for in-depth research on the disease

Until this past growing season, sclerotinia or white mould was third behind soybean cyst nematode and sudden death syndrome as the biggest soybean threats for most of Ontario. It likely ranks higher in eastern areas of the province, where white mould is a near perennial threat to manage, but there are scattered hot spots in […] Read more

Grey discoloration and black streaking of stems is typical of charcoal rot infection.

Don’t dismiss charcoal rot in soybeans

The disease isn't widespread, but can reduce profits in soybeans

Mistaken identity can be a problem with diseases in soybeans. How often is soybean cyst nematode dismissed as a nutrient deficiency or a planter issue? Like other root rot diseases, charcoal rot in soybeans is similar in above-ground appearance and the conditions in which it can infect plants. Why it matters: Charcoal root rot can […] Read more


These soybeans are up and growing well early season in Ontario.

New tool can reveal cost of soybean cyst nematode

A profit calculator from the U.S. that works for Ontario fields determines the field-by-field impact

A new and free online tool can help growers estimate profit loss from soybean cyst nematode. The SCN Profit Checker calculator was developed by the SCN Coalition, a collective of researchers from colleges in nearly 30 U.S. states and the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. It’s designed to provide a clearer picture […] Read more

Concentrating 13 growing seasons into five years gets the latest traits and technologies into growers’ hands.

Plant breeding picks up the pace

The pace of plant breeding has quickened by leaps and bounds, from selective breeding to the use of transgenics. Yet the process of breeding seeds with desired traits, rechecking for trait and yield performance and increasing those numbers for commercial availability takes more than 10 years. Or does it? With the use of continuous nursery […] Read more