Early season weed control is key

Early season weed control is key

Spring spraying can be challenging. Look for the right weather and moisture conditions

Early season weed control is a top priority for canola growers. Weeds that emerge before the crop are much more competitive than those coming up with the crop, and herbicide can’t undo the damage done by weeds left uncontrolled before emergence. Clark Brenzil, provincial weed specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, says research shows […] Read more

Farmers check out pea plots during the Western Applied Research Corporation’s annual field day at Scott, Sask. Weed control is a perennial problem for pea producers.

Managing Group-2 resistant weeds in pulse crops across Western Canada

Cleavers, mustard, kochia and sow thistle are among the weeds getting harder 
to control, but there are methods, starting with good agronomy

Group 2 resistance is something that is really a big problem across Western Canada,” says Dr. Chris Willenborg, a researcher at the University of Saskatchewan’s plant sciences department. Willenborg has worked on several research projects that inform weed resistance in pulses. The bad news is that resistance is spreading. And the more farmers rely solely […] Read more


Troublesome weeds in canola include dandelions, Canada thistle (seen above), quackgrass, foxtail barley and winter annual cleavers.

Fall weed management in canola

If you have time for fall weed control in canola fields, make the most of it

Canola is one of the higher value crops in Western Canada, but returns can be negatively impacted by poor weed control. Luckily, there are options for glyphosate-tolerant canola. Controlling weeds in the fall ensures that the crop suffers next to no yield loss due to competition in the following year. If pre-harvest control isn’t possible, […] Read more

Tractor spraying wheat field

Two good reasons for pre-harvest herbicide

Pre-harvest application can give you better weed control 
and simplify harvest. But know the residue rules


Farming decisions always seem to come back to economics, and whether to do a pre-harvest treatment for perennial weed control or harvest management is no exception. But there are many other considerations such as crop type, geographic location, weather and even trade risks that contribute to that decision, says Clark Brenzil, provincial weed specialist with […] Read more


New growth Kochia emerging from the soil

Fighting herbicide resistant weeds with change

Multiple modes of action and stacked seed traits help farmers manage resistance

When it comes to herbicide resistance, chemical companies are focusing on multiple modes of action. More varieties with stacked herbicide-tolerant traits are also on the horizon. But as western Canadian farmers sail towards that new future, they should keep in mind management goes hand-in-hand with technology. Stacked herbicide-tolerant traits are a new tool, giving farmers […] Read more

mulched field

Mulch-based weed control

Using mulch as a weed control strategy isn’t just for organic growers anymore

As conventional farmers search for a wider variety of tools to control hard-to-kill weeds, a Manitoba research has found that mulches may help. Martin Entz, a researcher at the University of Manitoba’s Plant Sciences Department, has led or participated in several recent studies of weed control through the use of mulch. “One of the first […] Read more


wild oats

The 4Rs of wild oat control

Agronomy tips... from the field

You might have heard about the 4Rs of nutrient management: applying the right product at the right rate at the right time and in the right place. Now, we can take those same concepts and apply them to a wild oat program. First — the right product. Look at whether you’re dealing with a light […] Read more

combining in the field

Canola rotations are key

Recommended crop rotations lower inoculum levels and risk of disease

Crop rotation is of utmost importance to manage residue and soil-borne diseases, and many insect species,” says Randy Kutcher, cereal and flax pathologist, University of Saskatchewan. Knowing this, it’s surprising that many growers still don’t heed rotation recommendations, especially with the potential for devastating diseases like blackleg. Blackleg is a residue-borne disease, he explains. “Residues […] Read more


soybean field

Weed management in soybeans

With high seed prices, farmers will be tempted to lower soybean seeding rates

Soybean farmers have been facing a growing threat to their bottom line: rising seed costs. Seeds for the very popular glyphosate resistant cultivars have increased in price by $47.75 an hectare (or 230 per cent) since they were first introduced in 1996. This trend is likely to continue given soon-to-be-introduced varieties with new herbicide resistant […] Read more

corn field

Avoiding herbicide resistance

Worried weed scientists gather to discuss the future of weed control without new chemistry

The loss of glyphosate is something that we should all lament,” said Steven Powles, director of Australia’s Herbicide Resistance Initiative. Powles compared the importance of glyphosate to penicillin, calling it a one-in-100 year herbicide. Powles was speaking to a gathering of weed scientists at the Weed Science Society of America’s second herbicide resistance summit in […] Read more