Soil Fertility Benefits of Wheat in Rotation Winter wheat harvest is now complete and before long the 2020 winter wheat crop will be seeded across the province (Figure 1). Yields have been better than expected for many. September planted wheat ranges from 100-130 bushels per acre, early October wheat ranges from 80-100 bu/ac and late October planted wheat yielded from 30…
Producers interested in growing winter canola should consider the herbicide history of their field, and the herbicide options open to them following winter wheat harvest. There are a number of restrictions, and some herbicide labels do not mention safety on canola. At this time there is only one winter canola variety that is registered in Ontario and readily available to…
There is a long way to go yet before we reach crop maturity and a few insects are thriving right now in late planted soybeans and dry beans. Bean leaf beetles are a risk for both soybeans and dry beans. Reports are starting to come in of some activity at various locations. This is the first generation of adults; what…
Winter Wheat Winter wheat harvest is winding down across the province and reported yields to date have ranged from 80-130 bu/ac which compares well to the five-year average yield of 82.7 bushels/ac. This was a pleasant surprise for many growers’ considering all the stresses the winter wheat crop had to endure. Good reports of straw yield averaging 4000 pounds per…
As we saw with the 2019 winter wheat crop, if winter wheat is planted late and if conditions are not fit, there is a greater risk of winter survival issues. When it comes to determining your optimum planting date for your region, Ontario’s Optimum Winter Wheat Planting Date map (Figure 1) is a great resource. When determining the optimum date,…
Thank you to Martin Harry for chairing the mid-summer meeting and to Bill Norman (Belchim Crop Protection) for sponsoring breakfast. Thank you to those who came out to all the meetings this season. Synopsis: The status of crops varies in the region with some areas not looking too bad while others are showing signs of moisture stress with growers…
Western bean cutworm (WBC) Peak moth flight is likely taking place this week for many regions of Ontario, putting both corn and dry beans at risk (Figure 1). WBC moths prefer pre-tassel to full tassel corn to lay eggs in so scout these fields first. If corn has passed these stages in the immediate area, moths will choose to lay…
Unfortunately, due to the wet fall and spring and impact of winter or spring kill across the province this year, the Ontario Cereal Crop Committee (OCCC) winter wheat performance trial data will not be available for the 2019 season, with the exception of Area V (Emo and New Liskeard). As a result, the OCCC will not be publishing a 2019…
Nitrates in Silage Fast-growing crops can accumulate nitrates under dry weather conditions. This is most common in corn, but sorghums, sudangrass, millets, cereals, and Italian ryegrass can all accumulate high levels of nitrates and potentially cause nitrate poisoning in livestock. Figure 1. Fast-growing forage crops like sorghum-sudangrass may accumulate nitrates under stressful growing conditions Why are high nitrate levels a…
The OntarioHayListings.ca website is a free classifieds database for producers looking to buy or sell hay and straw. Southwestern According to AAFC, the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula, as well as Essex, Chatham-Kent, Lambton, Middlesex, Elgin, Oxford, Norfolk, Brant, Haldimand, and Hamilton received average or above-average precipitation for the month of July. The rest of the region experienced below-average amounts of…
Winter Wheat Harvest Harvest has been slow to start in the province, lagging 7-14 days behind last year. Early yield and quality reports have been decent given the late planting date and challenging spring, but more acres will need to be harvested before any generalizations can be made. In fields were there are concerns of fusarium head blight (FHB), there…
Reports are coming in about insect pressure in forage crops and pastures across the province. Central and eastern Ontario currently have high potato leafhopper pressure, while districts across northern Ontario are challenged by armyworms. The only way to know if a field has insect pressure is to scout it! More information about scouting forage crops can be found in OMAFRA…
By: Jennifer Birchmore, Senior Geographic Information Specialist, OMAFRA Click on this link. https://arcg.is/0K5rnG You will see a screen (below) with two options to choose how you want to enter the trap data; a) Through the browser on your desktop or laptop (left) or b) Through the Survey123 field app on your mobile or tablet device (right) What is the difference?…
Pesticide Drift Pesticide drift is a complicated subject and it carries significant financial and emotional baggage. This season has been challenging for many agricultural sectors and practices, and spray applicators have been challenged with difficult timing and limited opportunities for herbicide applications. When sprayer operators are rushed or frustrated they have to make hard decisions, and this sometimes ends badly….
Usually by this time in July, I am writing about how we are approaching peak flight for WBC in at least the southwestern counties. But with the delay in growing degree days this year, we have just caught the first WBC moth in Ontario this week, a month later than usual start catching them. Despite the late WBC activity, we…
