Alberta farmers, agronomists and entomologists reported flea beetle infestations during this week’s bug chat on Twitter — but so far spraying isn’t widespread. Farmers around New Norway and Viking wrote that they were seeing flea beetles in the area, but canola crops seem to be outgrowing the damage. Lisa Anderson, a sales representative with DuPont […] Read more
Alta. pest watchers tweet on flea beetle presence
Guenther: Critical period now in sclerotinia cycle
Last year’s sclerotinia pressure on the Prairies means farmers should be prepared to spray again if conditions are right, and the economics and yield potential warrant it. Canola farmers in Alberta and Saskatchewan saw what was probably the highest sclerotinia pressure ever last year, says Todd Friday, pulse and oilseeds market segment manager with DuPont. […] Read more
Coming up in Grainews: Check water quality before spraying
Before filling up the sprayer, check your water quality. Spraying with hard water might still give you a kill, however, as former University of Saskatchewan professor Les Henry says, it may be “a lot less zippy than it could be.” Hard water, with high magnesium and calcium levels, is common in Saskatchewan because many wells […] Read more
Guenther: Don’t jump gun on flea beetle spraying
Farmers in parts of Alberta are spraying for flea beetles, and the pest is popping up elsewhere — but before spraying, farmers should make sure damage breaches economic thresholds. During a scheduled online insect chat, Scott Meers, entomologist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development at Brooks, wrote that farmers were spraying for flea beetles in […] Read more
Alta. farmer tries ‘tramplining’ over tramlines
Farmers interested in tramlines may balk at the setup costs — but Josh Fankhauser has saved several thousand by using a standard GPS and paying close attention to detail. Fankhauser farms 10,000 acres and runs 500 cattle with three partners near Claresholm in southern Alberta. This year, all their acres are either under dedicated tramlines, […] Read more
Tarps versus grain bags
For farmers short on storage, tarps or grain bags can be a low short-term solution. It’s not risk free, but these five tips can improve your odds
Farmers short on storage this year might consider tarping grain or using grain bags. But neither is good for long-term storage or high-moisture grain. Farmers short on storage this year might consider tarping grain or using grain bags. But neither is good for long-term storage or high-moisture grain. Tarping dry grain on the ground is […] Read moreSoybean yields
Saskatchewan soybean growers probably shouldn’t expect sky-high yields, but insurance coverage has been expanded
Saskatchewan farmers growing soybeans this year probably shouldn’t bank on yields higher than 25 bushels per acre, says an agronomist. “Drought and cooler temperatures can push that lower, whereas moisture and heat can push that higher. There are many agronomics practices we need to put into place before we have Saskatchewan growers consistently over that […] Read moreCheck water quality before spraying
You’ve got the sprayer ready and brought the right chemical home. Now make sure your water is right for the job
Before filling up the sprayer, you may want to check your water quality. Dr. Les Henry says some farmers might not know that hard water is affecting herbicides because they’re still getting a kill. But it may be that the chemical is “a lot less zippy than it could be if they were using good […] Read moreBeneficial bugs
This growing season farmers should not only keep an eye out for pest insects, but also the beneficials that prey on them. “If we are familiar with the natural enemies, we can make a better decision on whether the risk of damage by the pest insects is relatively low,” says Dr. Héctor Cárcamo, Agriculture and […] Read more
Pests to watch for in 2013
Southeastern Alberta farmers have the unfortunate privilege of being at the crossroads of insect issues lately, says Scott Meers, insect management specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “It seems to be the area where virtually anything can happen, unfortunately.” Farmers in the Medicine Hat area will need to watch for a litany of pests, […] Read more
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