The Ontario Corn Committee (OCC), the Ontario Cereal Crops Committee (OCCC), the Ontario Pulse Crop Committee (OPCC), and the Ontario Soybean and Canola Committee (OSACC) launched their new website: GoCrops.ca. The new website brings together the four previous crop committee websites under one cohesive banner. Ontario growers rely on third-party variety performance trial information to […]
Planting corn directly into a living cover crop before it is killed by herbicide or tillage is not something that would have been considered 30 years ago. However, with advances in planter technology, herbicide options, and a greater awareness of cover crop benefits to soil health, more growers are doing it. According to the 2022-2023 […]
A warmer than normal winter coupled with dry weather through February has led to surprisingly good field conditions in much of southern Ontario. While it looks like it could be an early spring, we know that the weather can change rapidly this time of year. Some are questioning whether it makes sense to take advantage […]
The inaugural 2023 Ontario corn hybrid DON screening trial report is available on GoCorn.net at http://www.gocorn.net/OCC_DON_Report_2023_Final_20230212.pdf. Ontario corn hybrid DON screening trials were initiated by the Ontario Corn Committee in 2019 following high DON levels in the 2018 corn crop. Hybrid susceptibility is one of the greatest factors influencing Gibberella Ear Rot (Figure 1) and […]
The 2023 Ontario Corn Committee (OCC) hybrid performance trials are now available at GoCorn.net (Link HERE). Over past decades, Ontario’s average corn yields have increased around 2 bu/ac/yr. Staying current with new and competitive yielding hybrids is important. A key benefit of OCC trials is the ability to compare a large number of hybrids. These […]
OMAFRA field crop specialists in collaboration with Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) and members of the Ontario Agri-Business Association (OABA) have completed the annual Ontario corn ear mould and DON mycotoxin survey. Corn ear moulds such as Gibberella and their corresponding mycotoxins occur every year in Ontario. These mycotoxins, particularly deoxynivalenol (DON, also referred to […]
Split application of nitrogen (N) in corn has been shown to offer many benefits to farmers, including a reduction in the total N required to produce a high-yielding crop. In-season application matches N supply closer to corn’s uptake pattern, and because of this, there is less nitrogen sitting in the soil in forms available for […]
This article shares the findings from a 2021 on-farm trial that compared fall cover crop termination with planting green. It was conducted near Hagersville, Ontario, as part of an Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association Tier Two project. Highlights To watch a short video with in-season footage from the trial, click below: Background Information on […]
Organization: Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Division/Branch: Economic Development Division / Agriculture Development Branch Position Title: Corn Agronomy Research and Extension Assistant Job Term: Temporary for up to 18 weeks, beginning spring 2023 Salary: $16.35 / hour, based on a 36.25 hour work week Office Location: Guelph, Ontario Contact: Ben Rosser, ben.rosser@ontario.ca Get your […]
The value from manure comes in the nutrients provided along with other components that benefit soil health. Manure adds a layer of complexity to fertilizer management, but it also provides benefits to crops that commercial fertilizer on its own cannot provide. Research helps with understanding the principles of how nutrients behave in different environments and […]
Simple Summary there is limited guidance for safe fertilizer rates for strip till – unlike 2”x2” planter banding, there are many different fertilizer placement options in strip till there is likely some tradeoff with fertilizer placement in strip till – placement closer to the seed likely improves starter fertilizer effect and fertilizer efficiency, but likely […]
Co-authored with Albert Tenuta, Field Crop Pathologist, OMAFRA. OMAFRA field crop specialists in collaboration with Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) and members of the Ontario Agri-Business Association (OABA) have completed the annual Ontario corn ear mould and DON mycotoxin survey. Corn ear moulds such as Gibberella and their corresponding mycotoxins occur every year in Ontario. […]
Simple Summary – Changes in fertilizer:corn price ratios (not fertilizer prices alone) change optimum P and K rates. Corn prices increasing with fertilizer prices can limit price ratio changes. – Significant price ratio changes are required to appreciably change optimum P and K rates. For instance, changing fertilizer:corn price ratio ($/lb-P:$/lb-corn) in a recent Ontario […]
More growers are noticing northern corn leaf blight (NCLB) – the most common corn leaf disease in Ontario. A proactive and integrated approach to management will mitigate significant financial losses. The simple answer Regular scouting is the best way to identify increases in the severity of NCLB. Ontario research has shown that an effective fungicide […]
Tar spot, a corn leaf disease that can cause significant yield losses, was first found in Ontario in 2020. It has since been found over a wider geographic area. Here’s an overview of what is currently known about best management practices. The simple answer Tar spot is here to stay. In the U.S. corn belt, […]