Canada’s first durum variety classified as resistant to ergot may expand the wheat’s acreage in parts of Western Canada where it’s not been typically grown.
Tag Archives ergot
Ergot resistance may open new doors for durum on Prairies
Unveiled at Ag in Motion, Canada’s first durum variety classified as resistant to ergot may expand the wheat’s acreage in parts of the Prairies where it’s not been typically grown
Ergot-free rye production
Practical Research: Growing it in soils with adequate levels of available copper is one way to go
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
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
“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
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'
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
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
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
Watch closely for ergot-infected feeds
Several grasses and some grain crops can be susceptible
Last spring, auction mart chat turned a problem with ergot in grasses. The conversation pointed towards lame cattle resulting from feeding timothy straw. My curiosity piqued because a high percentage of cattle producers have been feeding everything from timothy straw to pea straw, to canola straw and bakery waste for the last few years, so […] Read more
Feed weekly outlook: Firm Prairie market leveling off
MarketsFarm — Logistics issues moving grain where it needs to be in Western Canada continue to prop up feed prices, but the market is starting to level off, according to a broker. “We are seeing a bit of a shortage of trucks,” said Tracy Green of Market Master Ltd. in Edmonton, adding “things are still […] Read more
Can a cover crop help establish forages?
Q & A with Nutrien Ag Solutions
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
Can copper reduce ergot levels in wheat?
Q & A with Nutrien Ag Solutions
Q: Can the application of copper reduce ergot levels in wheat? A: Ergot is a worldwide disease that affects cereal crops such as wheat, barley, triticale, rye, and oats. Ergot is promoted in years with cool, damp weather conditions in late spring and early summer. When a crop is under stress, the flowering period is […] Read more
Rye production could fall 25 per cent, analyst says
CNS Canada — This year’s Canadian rye harvest appears positioned to carry on the crop’s recent trend with another production decline. Dry conditions in many regions of the Prairies and ergot in Manitoba are expected to drive down yields. Jonathan Hull of The Scoular Co. said he has been hearing from farmers that yields could […] Read more
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