Ontario growers have many approaches to managing fields after they’ve been harvested and prior to winter.

Managing bare soils in the field after harvest

OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of August 26

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

Figure 1. Beetle feeding on pods which can lead to significant seed quality issues.

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

Soybean cyst nematode on roots.

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

“jumping on the corn bandwagon.” (Farmtario photo by John Greig)

Corn pests to watch over the next month

OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of July 15

Like many other pests, corn rootworm (CRW) is ahead of schedule this year. Adult beetles will be emerging this week or next. Anyone considering trapping for adults as part of the Corn Rootworm Trap Network should be setting up their trap sites soon. Monitoring for CRW adults using sticky traps is an effective tool for flagging fields […] Read more

Rain 360© unit applies watery manure to a standing crop of corn.

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


Adzuki beans with nodules (shown with red arrows) on June 25, 2024.

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

Areas across the province are seeing variability in corn emergence and growth due to frequent rainfalls.

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

Yellow-orange coloured lesions of strip rust are small, round, blister-like lesions that merge to form stripes.

Winter wheat crops quickly advance, alfalfa weevil seen active

OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of May 16

Ontario’s crop season continues to be advanced of normal, which is especially evident in perennial and over-winter crop development. Crop heat units (CHU) and growing degree days (GDD) are significantly above the 10-year average, especially in southern Ontario. Progress for field work, particularly on heavier-textured soils has been limited due to frequent patchy rain, cool […] Read more


Sulphur (S) deficiency in winter wheat. S and Mn deficiency are appearing in fields: S deficiency appears as yellowing on the whole leaf starting with new growth. Mn deficiency will show a distinct striping pattern with necrotic areas, on new growth.

How Ontario crops are shaping up so far

OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of May 9

Cereals Winter wheat is advanced by 10-14 days in southern Ontario compared to other years, particularly in early planted fields. Fields in Essex are now at the early boot stages. Regions of the province further north and east as well as later planted fields are not as advanced and are at the first to second […] Read more

The headlands of this field received a fall application to control dandelions, making for a nice seed bed to plant into. The rest of the field had no fall management, and the dandelion pressure is significant and will take much longer to control now.

Three tips for weed management this fall

OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week ending September 18

Reflecting on some of the weed control issues that came up this past spring, below are three key items where management activities this fall can significantly improve control and/or financial return next season. 1. Fall management provides better dandelion control. In the fall, resource allocation of perennial weeds shifts and carbohydrates move towards the root […] Read more