Boosting populations of natural enemies such as Bracon cephi gives farmers a low-cost, sustainable way to reduce wheat stem sawfly losses without relying on insecticides that rarely work.
Tag Archives swathing
Wheat stem sawfly: how a harvest tweak can protect yields, preserve parasitoids
Stubble height of at least six inches can help make a significant sawfly enemy right at home
Swather-sprayer retrofit a clever solution to winter wheat’s tight planting window
A researcher and a zero-till pioneer develop a new way to get winter wheat right into spring canola stubble
A system to spray pre-seed herbicide at the same time as swathing isn’t just a clever labour-saver, but could help overcome one of the biggest obstacles keeping Prairie farmers out of winter wheat: the timing.
CNH enlists Sask. manufacturer for new windrower draper heads
Honey Bee to partner on new small-grain swathing combos
A new manufacturing partnership will see New Holland’s Speedrower Plus and Case IH’s WD5 windrower lines put to work swathing small grains and canola — and put made-in-Saskatchewan faces forward as they do. Case IH and New Holland’s parent firm CNH and Honey Bee Manufacturing say they’ve set up a partnership agreement for compatibility between […] Read more
There’s still a place for swathing in canola operations
If you didn’t plant a shatter-tolerant variety, you’re going to have to swath. But swathing can play a crucial role in other cases as well
Straight cutting is no longer merely an option for harvesting canola — it’s become “the” harvest option. In many cases, the one-pass alternative has replaced swathing completely. “The decision to straight cut canola has been increasingly made for farmers in the past eight years,” says Dane Froese, oilseed specialist with Manitoba Agriculture. “The advent of […] Read more
Crop advisor casebook: Canola shelling out while swathing
A Crop Advisor's Solution from the January 5, 2020 issue of Grainews
Jeff is a farmer located near Brandon, Man., who grows canola, wheat and soybeans. He was out swathing a canola field in early September when he decided he should give me a call. The crop, which was at 70 per cent seed colour change, appeared to be shelling out while it was being cut and […] Read more
Kuhn introduces the MM 890 Merge Maxx
Hay merger combines swaths for up to 30 feet of effective cutting width
In September, implement equipment manufacturer Kuhn introduced the MM 890 Merge Maxx hay merger. It allows producers to combine swaths and effectively bale or ensile the equivalent of a 30-foot cut all at once. Kuhn claims it’s the widest hay merger in the industry and can move hay left, right or in a 50-50 split. […] Read more
Harvest starts to hit the bin, progress on par with five-year-average
Saskatchewan Crop Report for the week ending August 15
Saskatchewan producers have three per cent of the 2016 crop in the bin, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. Seven per cent of the provincial crop is swathed or ready to straight-cut. Harvest progress is on par with the five-year average (2011-2015). The break in rain showers toward the end of the week allowed […] Read more
Canola: Straight cut versus swathed
New shatter-resistant canola varieties have a straight cutting edge
After 20 years of straight cutting canola on his central Alberta farm Wilson Lovell doesn’t even own a swather anymore, although he admits waiting for the crop to ripen is hard on his finger nails. He’s evaluated the two harvest options closely, and Lovell is convinced there is risk of a 10 to 30 per […] Read more
Five reasons to hold off on swathing canola
When exactly is the right time to cut that swath? Here are the reasons to wait
According to Angela Brackenreed, agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada, there’s been a real shift in the industry when it comes to canola swath timing. “I think there’s a much better understanding of the economics and yield benefit of waiting to swath,” she says. “My impression is that the early swathing that happens is done […] Read more
Western Prairies see low yields as harvest ramps up
CNS Canada –– This summer’s erratic weather has taken its toll on plant development in Alberta and parts of western Saskatchewan, according to crop-watchers in those areas. “We have heard that dry conditions have caused plants (peas) to slough off or have the tillers dry off and have lost those heads,” said Barry Yaremcio at […] Read more
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