In Prince Edward Island, potato growers may soon lose the use of metalaxyl, a key fungicide registered for use against Phytophthora erythroseptica, the pathogen responsible for pink rot. According to the results of a national survey, 50 per cent of isolates studied in Ontario and Eastern Canada are resistant to Ridomil, a single-site mode of […] Read more
Pink rot fungicide resistance spreading
Phosphites offer a strong alternative control option for potato growers
Watch for wireworms in potatoes
If wireworm is not on Prairie potato growers' radar yet, it will be in the near future
According to Bob Vernon, a research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Agassiz, B.C., since the organophochlorine pesticide Lindane was banned in Canada in 2004, followed by the organophosphate insecticide Thimet last year, populations of wireworm have been slowing in some areas and “booming” in others. Vernon was in Brandon, Man., to present a […] Read more
Don’t misdiagnose soil compaction
Erosion or true compaction? A correct diagnosis is key to proper management
Subsoils are naturally compact, and what looks like a soil compaction problem might actually be a case of erosion removing the top, soft layer of soil and exposing the dense subsoil. “People assume they have a soil compaction problem, but exposed subsoil is often misdiagnosed as a soil degradation issue,” says David Lobb, a professor […] Read more
Canada thistle still on ‘least wanted’ list
Early and thorough control is essential to keep Canada thistle under control
Canada thistle has been a thorn in farmers’ sides since before Confederation. In 1865, when the Canada Thistle Act of Upper Canada was signed into law, Her Majesty required all citizens of Upper Canada “to cut, or to cause to be cut down all the Canada thistles growing theron.” The Act continued, “If any owner, […] Read more
Barley leaf diseases stealing yield
Spot blotch, net blotch will join fusarium head blight as problems in Sask. and Alta.
Fusarium head blight (FHB) is the most high-profile of the diseases that threaten wheat and barley annually across the Prairies. But researchers say foliar diseases will likely be the biggest barley “yield culprits” in Alberta and Saskatchewan in 2016. “From a regional perspective, leaf diseases tend to be Prairie-wide and are habitually something producers should […] Read more
Don’t reseed winter wheat too soon
One agronomist recommends getting halfway through seeding before you decide
In parts of the Prairies, thin to nonexistent snow cover in parts through much of the early spring months might have some farmers worried about their winter wheat. But agronomists say it’s too soon to make the decision to reseed. “You can go out and do a spring assessment at the end of April if […] Read more
Perennial wheat more than a pipedream
It's still years from commercialization, but early perennial wheat research is promising
Doug Cattani is working on a long-term investment that will pay dividends down the road. The University of Manitoba plant sciences professor is currently in year five of a now much-publicized 15- to 20-year perennial wheatgrass breeding project. Perennial grain is something of a holy grail in plant breeding: a cereal crop that delivers high […] Read more
Learning about the 4Rs online
Online training offers way to help farmers communicate sustainable practices
The 4Rs” is shorthand every western Canadian producer knows, even though the phrase has only been around for a few years. It stands, of course, for the Right source of nutrients at the Right rate and the Right time in the Right place. The 4R concept was developed by the Fertilizer Institute, the International Plant Nutrition […] Read more
Buffer strips are not that efficient
Riparian buffer strips’ reputation for filtering nutrient runoff may be overblown
Buffer strips around cropland are typically viewed as “filters,” taking up excess nutrients before they can reach waterways. Some provincial governments are considering legislation requiring farmers to leave buffer strips. However, new work from the University of Manitoba questions their effectiveness. Dr. David Lobb, senior research chair for the Watershed Systems Research Program and a […] Read more
Liquid hog manure is liquid gold
It’s expensive to transport, but farmers near hog operations like the benefits
Liquid manure — particularly liquid hog manure, which is more readily available than solid or semi-solid manures — has always been viewed as a valuable nutrient source for field crop production. But it’s expensive to transport, so access is localized near hog operations. “I talk to a lot of growers growing oilseeds and cereals, and […] Read more
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