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Tag Archives copper

It’s well documented that if a micronutrient is missing or deficient, your expected yield could crash.
Columns, Crops, Practical Tips

Soil fertility, revisited 

Practical Research: The history of crop production on the Prairies was one of nutrient extraction at an alarming pace

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Soil fertility: a simple concept that requires long and well thought out answers. There are lots of articles on soil nutrient testing, along with many procedures, methods and interpretations.  Early on in the 1970s with Alberta Agriculture, my colleagues and I were very surprised with the answers to the soil testing questions we asked. A […] Read more
About 50 per cent of rye grown in Prairie Canada is estimated to come from newer hybrids first grown in 2014.
Cereals, Columns, Practical Tips

Ergot-free rye production

Practical Research: Growing it in soils with adequate levels of available copper is one way to go

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Yes, it can be done, by following these directions. Of course, there will be skeptics, but I am dealing with the facts and not concocted opinions. First of all, if you read my previous articles in Grainews, you will come to the factual opinion that wheat, barley and oats undergo closed pollination — that is, […] Read more
ergot in barley
Columns, Crops, Practical Tips

Let’s close the circuit on what leads to ergot

Practical Research: The solution to the problem for wheat, barley and oat growers is very well documented

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“Ergot risk threatens Man., less severe elsewhere.” This title appeared in The Western Producer, Aug. 22, 2024. Let’s put that headline in proper perspective. For some reason there are agricultural specialists on the Canadian Prairies and in some states who cannot face actual facts. When you have specialists who refer to wheat as a self-pollinated […] Read more
Here we see a drone’s-eye view of an abandoned Canadian peat moss farm in dry summer conditions.
Columns, Crops, Practical Tips

Peatland farming, the Prairies’ best-kept secret

Practical Research: Improving these lands' copper fertility could potentially pay significant dividends

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In 1981, I heard a discussion on micronutrients in crop production by the late Jerry Stoller. He talked about the need to pay attention to the micronutrient needs of crops, because just like macronutrients — nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur — they can be depleted over time on even the best cropland. Stoller also said […] Read more
Ergot is best recognized in the field as black or dark purple sclerotia sticking out of a floret.
Columns, Crops, Practical Tips

How a worldwide destructive cereal disease problem was solved in Alberta

In the story of ergot in wheat, barley and oats, the answer was simply 'copper'

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When I was first hired by Alberta Agriculture as a diagnostic plant pathologist, I was told I would be primarily responsible for barley, oat, wheat and canola diseases. I was also asked to head up the provincial control program for bacterial ring rot of potato (BRR). The BRR program, run in partnership with the federal […] Read more
The problems in Dwayne’s field were limited to a five-acre area, although soil tests showed a copper deficiency throughout the field.
Barley, Crops, Features

Crop advisor casebook: Pigtailing barley presents a problem

A Crop Advisor's Solution from the July 16, 2019 issue of Grainews

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Dwayne farms around 4,500 acres of red spring wheat, canola and malt barley near DeBolt, Alta. He gave me a call late last June because of a recurring problem in one of his barley fields. When visiting the field, I found some barley plants located in a concentrated area — around five acres — had […] Read more
Can a cover crop help establish forages?
Crops, Wheat & Chaff

Can a cover crop help establish forages?

Q & A with Nutrien Ag Solutions

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Q: Are there benefits to a cover crop for forage establishment? A. There are many benefits to planting a cover crop (sometimes referred to as a companion or nurse crop) for forage establishment. Cover crops commonly planted alongside perennial forages include oats, barley and wheat. Before a forage stand becomes well established, bare soil can […] Read more
Copper deficiencies can reduce wheat yields
Crops, Wheat & Chaff

Copper deficiencies can reduce wheat yields

Q & A with Nutrien Ag Solutions

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Q: How do I know if I have copper-deficient soils? A: Copper is the micronutrient most often found deficient in Western Canada. In a nutshell, copper deficiency is most often found in deep sandy soils and peat soils, and wheat is the most sensitive crop. Soil tests are a good tool to predict potential copper […] Read more
Not all minerals are created equal. Buy a proper blend for the third trimester period.
Cattleman’s Corner, Cow-Calf, Livestock

Trace minerals directly affect unborn calves

If the cow isn’t getting sufficient minerals calf development and strength suffers

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Within the next few months, there will be a lot of newborn calves on the ground. Fair- to good-quality forage is quite plentiful this year and grain is a reasonable price, so most of the cow herds I have seen across Western Canada this winter are in good body condition for calving. But one area […] Read more
Cows deficient in copper can be poor milkers, have chronic health issues, and have difficulty getting bred. But it is a condition that’s fairly easy to correct.
Cattleman’s Corner

Copper critical for pre-calving cows

It doesn’t take much to correct a deficiency so watch for symptoms

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Recently, I gave a dinner presentation to a group of beef producers outlining the importance of feeding a good mineral program to pre-calving cows. Afterward, I was surprised by the number of questions about the possibility of a copper deficiency in their beef cattle. With calving season underway or soon to start, we all agreed […] Read more

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