Downy brome

Controlling downy brome

This aggressive weed can be confused with fall rye. Luckily, 
there are several ways to keep it under control

Downy brome is a winter annual grass that is a problem in every Canadian province except Newfoundland. A prolific seed producer, it germinates in the fall and overwinters as a seedling. Come spring, it resumes growth rapidly. Generally, downy brome starts heading in late April to early May. By late April, it has an extensive, […] Read more

blackleg disease on a canola stem

Protect your weapons in the fight against blackleg

New information and tools are in the works to help growers protect 
the durability of current resistant canola varieties

Last year’s record canola harvest of nearly 18 million tonnes was a significant achievement for Canadian producers and industry stakeholders, far surpassing the goal set by the sector of 15 million tonnes by 2015. On the heels of this accomplishment, canola disease experts warn blackleg could take a large bite out of future production if […] Read more


Private crop insurance

Saskatchewan-based Global Ag Risk Solutions is offering Prairie 
farmers a private option to insure their production costs

How do you like the sound of crop insurance that guarantees a gross margin on your production, covers you when prices tank, provides something that the bank will lend against and gives you the kind of confidence that lets you sleep through the worst thunderstorm of the season? Sounds too good to be true doesn’t […] Read more

Railway car being filled with grain

Producer cars to lower risk

Producer cars are an alternative to help Prairie farmers manage the uncertainty of basis and delivery opportunities

After seeing how the past winter evolved in regards to extremely high basis levels and limited delivery access because of the bumper crop, I have been looking at available options to help farmers better manage these risks. Today I want to take a look at producer cars and how they can help manage basis fluctuations […] Read more


Lentils with blight can be misdiagnosed

Stemphylium blight is turning up in more and more seed lab tests, but 
is often misdiagnosed when it’s found out in the field

Stemphylium blight, caused by the fungal pathogen Stemphylium botryosum, is a lentil disease that has only been identified as a problem in recent years. But according to Sabine Banniza, a researcher at the University of Saskatchewan, this may be due to misdiagnosis in the past. “There isn’t really very solid data out there, partly because […] Read more

Clubroot-infested canola

Cleaning to prevent clubroot

Clubroot can spread from farm to farm, or come in from other sources

Sometimes energy companies are prime suspects when it comes to clubroot contamination in western Canadian farmland. But Encana has developed strict cleaning procedures to minimize that risk, one company leader told FarmTech delegates in Edmonton. Many of Encana’s Alberta sites tap into farmland in south central Alberta. These coalbed methane wells produce sweet gas and […] Read more


An open field.

Intensify production by regulating growth

Plant growth regulators can give you higher yields, with lower crop height

Plant growth regulators (PGR) are not a new technology. They are commonly used in other areas of the world with high intensity cereal management systems, where high levels of nitrogen fertilizer are being used and lodging is a threat to yield and quality. Data from the U.K. Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs […] Read more

Perverse incentives in the system

Speakers at the Grain Handling and Transportation Summit discussed 
incentives, regulations and grain transportation system bottlenecks

Perverse incentives” within the transportation system make solutions unlikely under current regulations, a farmer told industry at a recent grain transportation summit. Currently there’s no one with an interest in collective service issues that affect farmers, Ian McCreary told delegates at Saskatoon’s Grain Handling and Transportation Summit in March. McCreary farms near Bladworth, Sask., and […] Read more


Soybeans in green pods

The bean genome

Researchers have puzzled out the genomes of crops such as soybeans. Now they’re turning their attention to the common bean

Although beans are a specialty crop in Canada, they are a vital part of the global diet, Dr. Frédéric Marsolais says. Beans are high in protein, fibre and complex carbohydrates. They’re also a source of antioxidants and several nutrients. “It became apparent that having access to a genome sequence for this crop would be very […] Read more

Beans, lentils, peas

Working for a greener revolution

Scientists are looking at novel ways to maintain yields with drastic cuts in nitrogen application

He wasn’t around for the Green Revolution, but Dr. Krzysztof Szczyglowski is doing his part to expedite a Greener Revolution. Better crop varieties and high inputs of chemical fertilizers were key tenets of the Green Revolution of the 1960’s and 70’s and the results were impressive. Huge quantities of food were produced and millions of […] Read more