You don’t need a PhD in agriculture to know that water is critical to crop production. But for years, people like Jonathan Proctor, who has a PhD in Agriculture and […] Read more
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Tag Archives Soil
Soil moisture more critical than rainfall to estimate climate impact
Science Notes: Evaporation, infiltration and runoff can result in dramatic differences
Making money through better soil and water management
Living Labs event features Kingsville-area farmer’s winning strategies
The heavy clay soils that characterize Henry Denotter’s farm can be hard to work with. But from a tillage perspective at least, he doesn’t have to work them too often. […] Read more
A new test for nitrogen on the horizon
New test being developed aims to better identify plant-available nitrogen
Research completed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and University of Guelph researchers indicates that Ontario corn producers may soon have a more reliable tool for nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate […] Read more
Soil freeze and thaw spike nitrous oxide emissions
Science Notes: Computer simulation aims to determine hotspots
Nitrous oxide (N2O) may be much less abundant in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide (CO2), but it is 300 times more potent. University of Illinois and University of Minnesota have […] Read more
Calculating soil health returns
Greenbelt report highlights costs and returns of soil-supporting management practices
Short term costs for long term gains – that’s what a Greenbelt Foundation report says farmers need to consider when it comes to building soil health. Released in early 2022, […] Read more
Strip till a matter of helping the soil and lowering costs
Adoption rate is slow, but tools are available for growers to learn more
Twenty years ago, growers were less likely to adopt strip till on their farms, primarily because the practice lacked an immediate payback with higher yields. It didn’t help that early […] Read more
Making the case for low-pressure tires and waiting out the wet
Last fall’s harvest weather increased compaction risk
Signs of soil compaction are evident across Ontario this year due to persistently wet weather during the harvest and wheat planting seasons in fall 2021, crop consultant Peter Johnson told […] Read more
Evaluating soil structure
OMAFRA Field Crop Report for the week of August 15
Many Ontario soils display a similar pattern of compaction. The secondary tillage layer – usually the top 2-4 inches – is relatively loose and friable, with mostly small, rounded aggregates, […] Read more
Soil quality critical to help crops weather heat stress
Science Notes: Study analyzed 30 years of data on four major crops
The capacity of soil to hold water will be critical to determine how well farms in some regions of the United States manage prolonged heat stress due to climate change, […] Read more
Three common soil compaction mistakes
Avoid these missteps to keep compaction from getting worse
Glacier FarmMedia – With the advent of mechanized agriculture, farms became a great deal more productive than they were in times past. However, the large machines that ply farmers’ fields […] Read more
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