There are more than just pests in those sweep nets; don’t sweep it all away
Many insect pests feed on cereal crops and canola. But for every pest in the field, there are dozens of predators feeding on them. Knowing which beneficial insects feed on the major pests can help growers make better management decisions. University of Toronto postdoctoral entomologist Vincent Hervet explains. 1. Cereal leaf beetle The cereal leaf […] Read more
How to minimize losses from dry and damaged pulse seed this seeding season
In the fall of 2017, pea and soybean pedigreed seed came off the field on the drier side, which means that they’ll be going into the field drier this year. Manitoba pulse crop specialist Dennis Lange shares his expertise on how to make sure dry, damaged seed doesn’t impact your bottom line. Generally, seed quality […] Read more
For the growing problem of dry land salinity, try planting a cover crop
Dry land salinity is a major problem on the Prairies. In Alberta, about 1.6 million acres of dry land are impacted by secondary salinity. On average, Alberta crop yields are reduced by 25 per cent annually because of the problem. Salinity also impacts 3.3 million acres in Saskatchewan and 0.6 million acres in Manitoba as […] Read more
Glyphosate alone is just not enough. Why is buckwheat so hard to control?
Wild buckwheat consistently ranks among the top five problematic weeds in Saskatchewan weed surveys. Clark Brenzil, provincial weed control specialist at Saskatchewan’s Ministry of Agriculture, explains what makes this weed so tricky. Wild buckwheat is an annual weed found in cropland in the southern Prairies. Despite farmers’ best efforts, the weed is hardy and persistent […] Read more
Volunteer canola: Western Canada’s fourth most abundant weed
Volunteer canola is thriving in Western Canada. In the 1970s, volunteer canola was the 18th most abundant weed. Today it is the fourth most common in Western Canada. Volunteer canola is especially problematic where herbicide-resistant crops, like soybeans, are added to the rotation. Volunteer canola is a unique weed because it is derived from growing […] Read more
Dutch manufacturer updates its SP sprayer with enhanced spraying ability
In early February, Dutch sprayer manufacturer Agrifac introduced an updated version of its Condor Endurance, the Condor Endurance II, at a launch event in Steenwijk, the Netherlands. Company director Peter Millenaar says since their launch in 2015 the original Condors now have some 18.5 million acres under their belts, and the new model encompasses Agrifac’s […] Read more
The weed’s movement into Manitoba calls for more vigilant field scouting
Waterhemp was found for the first time in Manitoba in 2016, southeast of Winnipeg in the area around the RM of Taché. The discovery led to the establishment of a waterhemp surveillance program led by Manitoba Agriculture in 2017. More waterhemp was found at a second site closer to the U.S. border. In both circumstances, […] Read more
First, choose a yield target. Then figure out how you can get your crop there
Fertility is the first thing that usually comes to mind when thinking about canola yield targets, but should it be? Deciding how you’re going to get there when you don’t know where you’re going is like putting the cart before the horse. Warren Ward, agronomist with the Canola Council of Canada, says growers need to […] Read more
Researchers working to develop canola agronomy with precision planters
As more and more Western Canadian growers move into soybeans and invest in precision planters, there’s increasing interest in adapting those planters for other crops as well, like canola. Can precision planters be used to grow canola better, and if so, how? Farming Smarter Research Manager Mike Gretzinger set out to answer the agronomic questions […] Read more
Soybean potassium fertility trials leave researchers scratching their heads
While it has generally been known that Manitoba’s lighter-textured soils are low in potassium, it took soybeans to really bring the issue to light. With soybeans taking up more and more acres, researchers felt it was time to conduct potassium fertility trials. While preliminary results are in, results are mixed. More data will be needed […] Read more
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