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Tag Archives Agricultural soil science — page 2

Yield, quality and stand persistence are the most important things about forage, an agronomist says.
Crops

A good forage stand requires agronomic base

Keys to success include planting at right time, proper seed bed, seed placement, quality seed and weed control

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Glacier FarmMedia – Farmers seeking to build a strong forage stand need to use proper crop rotations, fertility and water development, a forage agronomist told a recent Canadian Forage and Grasslands Association conference in Moncton, N.B. Peter Ballerstedt, with the seed company Barenbrug USA, said producers must pay attention to agronomy and make amendments before […] Read more
New federal-provincial initiative aims to add to soil health knowledge.
News

New ONFARM program to build soil health measures and learning

The long-term program will help set up sites and resources for information sharing

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A new $5.75 million program aims to increase soil health through multi-year on-farm research. The program called the On-Farm Applied Research and Monitoring (ONFARM) project, will be funded by the Canadian and Ontario governments through the Canadian Agriculture Partnership (CAP). The project was announced on Dec. 5, World Soils Day. The ONFARM project will support […] Read more
One of the screens from the Crop Nutrient Needs Calculator.
Crops, News

Nutrient management program gets new look

Agrisuite updates to better accommodate farmers

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Agrisuite, Ontario farmers’ nutrient management software, will have a fresh new look come winter. Web browsers’ inability to support the aging software was the initial reason for the revamp, but the Agrisuite development team is taking the opportunity to advance, simplify and promote the program with funding from the Canadian Agricultural Partnership. Why it matters: […] Read more
Sean Jordan of University of Guelph Environmental Sciences, pictured with lysimeter.
Crops, News

Interpretive centre heading into fourth season with lysimeters

Unique sensors help collect data points to determine soil health

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In 2016 the Soil Health Interpretive Centre installed 18 lysimeters to help measure data points within soil to understand soil health. The instalment is the biggest of its kind in North America. “There are 230 in the world and we have 18 of them,” says Sean Jordan, research technician with the School of Environmental Sciences […] Read more
Dan Dreckon and Greg Hannam of Woodrill Farms use soil mapping to make management decisions.
Crops, News

Halton area farmers doing their part to improve soil health

There’s no one correct way to manage soil health

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Soil health continues to be a concern for producers and consumers across the country as quality dwindles. On Aug. 15, 2019 the Halton Soil and Crop Improvement Association put together a soil health seminar and farm tour to reiterate to showcase soil health concerns – along with what farmers are doing to improve it. Why […] Read more
Crops, News

Fall means sampling for soybean cyst nematode

Ontario Field Crop Report for the week of September 16

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As fall approaches, two things are certain – winter will come and soybean cyst nematode (SCN) has done its business! For many growers, managing soybean cyst nematode 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
At the Israel family’s Drayton-area organic farm, delayed maturity of the rye meant that roller-crimping had to occur in early July, well after the emergence of the soybeans. A side-by-side comparison on July 22 showed the soybeans were delayed, but had come through the mat of rye in good health.
Crops

OSCIA-supported trial examines no-till organic soybeans

Despite difficult spring, growers persist with planting into roller-crimped rye

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Delayed soybean emergence and the seed costs for a lush cover crop of rye are the main reasons why one innovative approach to no-till farming might not make financial sense under conventional management. But a new research trial being conducted at six sites across southern Ontario is showing promise that the method might be something […] Read more
Tillage can reduce the number of larger pores in soil, increasing the density of soil.
Crops

Has the time come for integrated tillage management?

Understanding bulk density for compaction prevention

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Tillage has its benefits, but the list of drawbacks to soil health is long. This poses a question: Like Integrated Pest Management, is it time for Integrated Tillage Management? The question was posed by Aaron Breimer, manager for Veritas Farm Management, during a presentation at Elgin Compaction Day on Aug. 8. For him, taking an […] Read more
If a cover crop is to survive after a corn crop in Ontario, it has to be interseeded.
Crops

Cover crops: Short-term pain but long-term gain

A U.S. study underlines the benefits, but costs of adoption can be higher north of the border

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A new, coast-to-coast study in the U.S. tracks five years of the financial benefits of including cover crops in corn and soybean rotations, but the numbers may not apply in Ontario. Why it matters: One factor that can prevent adoption of cover crops is the effect on bottom line due to additional costs such as […] Read more
This no-till drill is used to plant cover crops and prairie grass buffer strips. It is loaned to farmers by the ERC.
Crops, Machinery

Local demonstration showcased soil management options

Machinery demonstration designed to spur more thinking on soil health

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A Kingsville-area demonstration day was held July 23 to showcase a variety of tillage and other equipment and how each can be used to improve soil management. But while the machinery was the focus visually, the main purpose of the event was to highlight how producers can incorporate profitable and environmental production changes using both […] Read more

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