Justine Cornelson from BrettYoung Seeds speaking about verticillium at Mantioba AgDays in Brandon on Wednesday, January 22. PHOTO: Don Norman

Researchers scramble to understand verticillium in Canada

Disease is a relative newcomer to Canada and has been the subject of little research globally

Justine Cornelson of BrettYoung Seeds says verticillium is one reason Manitoba saw disappointing canola yields last year. The disease needs to be the subject of more research, since little has been done to date.




CDC Churchill in a plot at Ag in Motion in July. Farmers growing barley for feed are increasingly opting to grow malting varieties.

Fitting malting barley in your rotation

The price premium isn’t the only benefit malting barley offers

Farmers who grow malting barley in their rotation say there is a lot to like about the crop. It’s an early-maturing, drought-resistant crop that competes well with weeds. And if farmers meet the high standards required by malting houses, they can earn a handsome premium.  Although malting barley once yielded significantly less than higher-yielding feed […] Read more


wild oats

Maul of the wild

Farmers who missed two-decade-old advice on wild oat management now face the fallout, but new research and technology might still turn the tide

Any Prairie farmers who ignored a 2005 paper on managing herbicide-resistant wild oats, back when it first dropped, might feel like they’re getting an “I told you so” finger wag if they were to read it today. Authored by Hugh Beckie, a former AAFC researcher known for his contributions to weed management and herbicide resistance […] Read more

Aaron Onio, malting and brewing technical specialist with CMBTC, explains the nuances of beer making at the test brewery at the centre.

Critical factors in growing malting barley

While malting grade offers premiums, farmers must meet stringent quality standards to avoid being left with feed

As malting barley yields approach those of top feed varieties, farmers are increasingly choosing to grow malting barley in hopes of securing a premium price — even if their end goal is feed. The problem is, those premiums don’t come easily. Shawn Pasieczka, a food safety grain specialist with Richardson, is the arbiter of what […] Read more


proven seed corn plot

New biological aims to boost row crops’ yield

A new biostimulant that Syngenta says will boost yield for row crops is slated for release in time for the 2025 growing season. “YieldON amplifies the grain-filling processes that crops naturally do when they transition from the vegetative stage to the reproductive stage of their life cycle,” Chris Dumigan, biologicals technical lead with Syngenta Canada, […] Read more

A brown mustard flower in bloom. As of mid-October, brown mustard is priced at just over 30 cents/lb.

Leveling the crop protection playing field for mustard

The challenges of growing mustard in the shadow of canola

While mustard growers face many of the same agronomic challenges as canola growers, they often find themselves with fewer crop protection options than canola growers do. So when Bayer recently announced its Buteo Start seed treatment for flea beetles would be available for mustard seed, mustard farmers welcomed the news. “That’s going to help us […] Read more



Ryan Ruchkall uses a drone to collect field data on kochia and wild oat at EMILI’s Innovation Farms. EMILI is working with Geco Engineering to assess the performance of Geco’s weed mapping technology for predicting weed locations and detecting emerging herbicide resistance.

Integrated weed management faces new future

Intercropping, predictive weed control could redraw battle lines in the fight against herbicide-resistant weeds

Glacier FarmMedia — Herbicide resistance in weeds is rising and there are no new chemistries on the horizon, so farmers will need fresh approaches to integrated weed management strategies. “I think the best management practice that someone could do for weed resistance is the one you’re not currently doing on your farm,” says Rory Cranston, […] Read more