crop diseases Archives - Page 4 of 6

Researchers at Farming Smarter in Lethbridge, Alta., tested the Spornado in different crops to determine if the location of the sampler made a difference. Generally, an open area of the field is preferred, and try to avoid field edges or being next to a gravel road where dust could overload the collection cassette.

Keep tabs on crop disease risk

Even the occasional rain event during a dry growing season can stimulate a crop disease outbreak

By Lee Hart March 16, 2022

Is there a need for an early-warning system for crop diseases during a dry growing season? Generally, most farmers and agronomists agree with dry or drought conditions the risk of crop disease outbreaks is greatly reduced, if non-existent. And that is true to a large extent. Looking at the classic crop disease triangle, the three […] Read more

Cereals, Columns, Crops

A closer look at ergot

Get your soils tested for copper levels if you get ergot in wheat, barley or oats, and if crops lodge easily and the grain is poor quality

By Ieuan Evans November 16, 2021

Let’s get this story on track once and for all. Ergot, as we know it in Canada, is a fungal infection of cereal grains and grasses. The word ergot is derived from the French word argot, meaning a spur. Ergots form within grain heads and displace the developing seed or grain. Ergot size may depend […] Read more

You may have only got up close and personal to fababeans at a field day (such as Canolapalooza in Lacombe in 2019) but the pulse may soon be more widely grown — especially if aphanomyces limits the ability to grow peas and lentils every three or four years.

Crops, Pulses

What can you grow if root rot kicks out peas and lentils?

You may need an eight-year break between those crops, but there are some other pulses to consider

By Alexis Kienlen July 8, 2021

Glacier FarmMedia – With aphanomyces threatening peas and lentils, what can producers do to keep pulses in the rotation? Pulse growers are being urged to go up to eight years between plantings of either peas or lentils, which dominate pulse acres in the province. “Our susceptible crops are pea and lentil and, to a lesser extent, dry […] Read more

New pathotypes of clubroot able to overcome resistant canola varieties are being found every year — and they will win the war if producers don’t take a multi-pronged approach to limiting their spread, says Keisha Hollman, University of Alberta project lead.

Canola, Crops

New clubroot pathotypes overcome genetic resistance in canola

Over half of the unique clubroot pathotypes in Prairie fields able to overcome first-generation resistance

By Jennifer Blair July 6, 2021

Glacier FarmMedia – New clubroot pathotypes are emerging in canola fields across the Prairies and clubroot-resistant varieties might not be enough to stop the spread. “The most worrisome part about this is the fact that a lot of these new pathotypes are able to overcome traditional first-generation resistance,” said Keisha Hollman, who led the study […] Read more

The openings on the roots of soybean plants infected by SCN may cause the plant to be more susceptible to the development of root rot and seedling diseases.

Crops, News

Crop disease experts take stock of 2020

Your provincial roundup of pulse and soybean diseases, what to watch for this year and emerging threats

By Melanie Epp April 22, 2021

From east to west, pulse and soybean growers face disease challenges, and last year was no different. For example, producers from all three provinces struggled with aphanomyces root rot in peas and lentils, Manitoba’s soybean farmers were warned of increased cases of soybean cyst nematode (plants are more susceptible to root rot and seedling disease […] Read more

This post-harvest photo of a canola stem with verticillium stripe shows how the stem has senesced and the epidermis is shredding to reveal the microsclerotia.

Canola, Crops, Features

Verticillium stripe should be on your radar for 2020 and beyond

Three things you need to know about the disease

By Melanie Epp July 29, 2020

When Verticillium longisporum-infected canola was first discovered in Manitoba in 2014, it was quickly followed by countrywide soil surveys conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in 2015. Those surveys revealed V. longisporum populations in British Columbia and every province eastward as far as, and including, Quebec. And while it hasn’t reached the point where […] Read more

Columns, Crops

Myths, yarns and ridiculous claims

Many long-standing popular myths about agriculture have been disclaimed by science

By Ieuan Evans May 2, 2019

After 60 years of work and observations in Canadian, British and U.S. agriculture, most of it on the Canadian prairies, I still cannot believe how many farmers and scientists believe in plain falsehoods. Here are a few of those unsubstantiated myths. Manure causes lodging FALSE: If you apply 10 to 20 or more tons of […] Read more

Research plots in 2017 looking at nitrogen and phosphorus interactions.

Crops, Pulses

Worried about pea disease? Try peaola

Intercropping peas and canola can minimize disease and lower production costs

By Melanie Epp March 12, 2019

With international pea processor Roquette opening a plant in Portage la Prairie, Man., in 2020, many growers will be thinking about taking advantage of the opportunity. Some, however, will be worried about one of the biggest challenges of growing peas: disease. There may be a solution, though. Researchers and experimental farmers are finding answers in […] Read more

Canola, Crops, Features

New labels for blackleg resistance

New “groups” for blackleg resistance on some canola seed this spring

By Leeann Minogue April 4, 2018

Agronomists agree the best way to control blackleg in canola is rotation — only growing canola once every three years, at most. Besides rotations, scouting and fungicide can help in the fight against blackleg. And, last spring a new item was added to the list of blackleg-fighting tools: a new labelling system. This season, you’ll see some new letters on some of your seed […] Read more

Crops

Four tips to help prevent crop diseases

By Doug Fehr, Doug Moisey, Ellis Clayton, Michael Weir August 9, 2017

Growers know which diseases exist in their fields and how to manage them, especially widespread diseases like sclerotinia, blackleg and clubroot in canola. However, changing management practices have altered the prevalence of many diseases, leading to an increase in frequency and affected areas due to over-reliance on genetics rather than good management practices. Growers should […] Read more

Alberta crop conditions improve: report

U.S. grains: Corn sets contract lows on expectations for big US crop

U.S. livestock: Cattle strength continues

GFM Network News