Q: How can I successfully manage crop residues? A: Crop residue management has become a very important agronomic consideration in recent years across Western Canada. Increasing crop yields and plant populations leads to a growing amount of plant material. This plant material will be returned to the soil surface at harvest as crop residue. If […] Read more
Strategies for managing crop residue
Q & A with an expert
The GxExM equation
Q & A with an expert
Q: What should I be looking at when focusing on crop planning for the coming year? A: As the cropping season creeps into focus, growers and agronomists are making final changes and alterations to crop plans. We work diligently to make sure these crop plans are thorough, robust and account for as many variables as […] Read more
Three fundamental elements to manage weeds
Q & A with an expert
Q: What can I do to reduce potential herbicide-resistance issues? A: Driver weed populations on a farm level tend to remain relatively consistent over time. Some species may move into cropland from field edges and pasture lands and others may leave with reduction in tillage. Generally, the weed species that cause most issues on a […] Read more
How to make a sustainable crop protection plan
Q & A with an expert
Q: How do I make a crop protection plan in the off-season? A: Developing a crop protection plan for the upcoming season in the late fall and over the winter can be a challenging process. Many in-season variables, both economic and agronomic, are difficult to account for in the off-season. However, with a season on […] Read more
Your overview of pre- and post-harvest herbicide applications
Q & A with an expert
Q: What can I do to control perennial weeds on my farm? A: Late or end-of-season herbicide applications present growers with an opportunity to gain long-term control over tough-to-kill perennial weed populations. The main goal of this application should be weed control and not hastening crop maturity. In fields with weed populations composed of quackgrass, […] Read more
New seed varieties may offer advantages
Q & A with an expert
Q: I am happy with the variety I am currently growing — why change? A: New seed varieties come to market every year; some with much anticipation and others with very little fanfare. On-farm performance of these varieties does not come from popularity or marketing campaigns. This can make it difficult for producers to identify […] Read more
Why and how to manage root diseases in cereal crops
Q & A with an expert
Q: What can I do to reduce the impact of cereal root diseases? A: Diseases such as seedling blight and common or browning root rot can cause crop loss early in the growing season. During a typical year, yield losses due to these pathogens fall in a range of six to seven per cent across the […] Read more
When is my canola in the right stage for a fungicide?
Q & A with Nutrien Ag Solutions
Q: How do I determine the correct bloom stage in canola to apply a sclerotinia fungicide? A: Proper timing of fungicide for sclerotinia control requires regular scouting. The recommended timing is application at the 30 per cent bloom stage. Application prior to this stage can result in reduced control as petals susceptible to infection have yet to emerge. […] Read more
Reduce clubroot with sanitation, rotation and genetics
Q & A with Nutrien Ag Solutions
Q: How can I reduce the threat of clubroot? A: Growers in areas with little to no clubroot should consider implementing simple preventative strategies to reduce the chance of large-scale infection. The key to reducing the threat of clubroot is to use management practices that prevent clubroot spores from entering your field, or if a […] Read more
Insect economic thresholds: what do they mean?
Q & A with CPS
Q: What do insect economic thresholds mean? A: Insects can eat into your profits. They can appear at any time during the growing season and can cause damage that is patchy, scattered and difficult to gauge. Accurate estimation of both pest population and potential crop damage levels can only be obtained by thorough field scouting. […] Read more
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