The first Exeter + Mt Forest (Virtual) Ag Business Breakfast Meeting of the season was held on Tuesday April 13th at 8:00am. Cropping Conditions Spring has come early in Ontario. The growing degree days (GDDs) accumulated since March 1st for London total 260 compared to the 9-year average of 105. Similarly, GDDS in Goderich are at 250 and in Mt…
Uniformity of Emergence Uniform seeding depth is a critical factor in achieving uniform emergence. Uneven emergence affects crop performance, because competition from larger, early-emerging plants reduces the yield potential of smaller, later-emerging plants. Yields can be reduced by 5% when half the stand suffers from a 7-day delay in emergence and by 12% when half the population experiences a 2-week…
April 6, 2021, 8:00 am Due to COVID restrictions, ag breakfast meetings will be paired and held virtually by video conference on the Zoom platform again in 2021. The first 2021 Ridgetown-Simcoe virtual ag breakfast meeting was held April 6. Supply Chain: With repeating COVID lockdowns, retailers report that locations are generally closed to public. Despite restrictions, input companies and retailers expect no supply or logistic disruptions for crop inputs. Like 2020, seed and crop protectant products are being delivered to growers ahead of…
In this article, we will take a look at using a roller crimper for organic no-till soybean production and the results of on-farm trials in Ontario. Why organic no-till? Organic soybean production relies on a significant amount of tillage. When done well, yields can rival conventional production. There are drawbacks, however, including a high labour demand in the spring and…
Ontario winter canola yields were very strong in 2020 giving us a good look at the incredible yield potential of the crop. Many producers reported yields over 3700 lb/ac and some watched their yield monitors jump over the 5000 lb/ac mark. The mild winter was likely a big part of that success, but Mother Nature did put the crop through…
Jake Munroe March 31, 2021 767 Comments Off on To plant green or to plant brown? Rye cover crop termination timing before soybeans (summary of 2017-2020 data)Jake Munroe, Mike Cowbrough and Sebastian Belliard (OMAFRA) Cereal rye (Secale cereal) has several strengths as a cover crop option. It’s relatively inexpensive and easy to kill. Rye improves soil structure, builds organic matter and helps protect against water and wind erosion. It can suppress weeds as discussed here (see Figure 1). It’s also very winter hardy and often the…
Ben Rosser March 29, 2021 164 Comments Off on Agronomy Guide For Field Crops – Corn Development – Staging Corn PlantsCorn Development The vegetative and reproductive growth stages in corn are described in Table 1–12, Vegetative growth stages in corn and Table 1–13, Reproductive growth stages in corn. Corn Leaf Stages Counting the leaves on a corn plant sounds like an easy task, but there are a few complications that can cause mistakes. It is important to know which…
Planting Seeding Date The best yields in Ontario are usually obtained from corn planted in late April and the first half of May, as the crop is able to use the full growing season. Early planting also results in earlier maturity in the fall, reducing the risk of damage from an early fall frost or adverse weather at harvest. The…
Winter wheat fields are experiencing snow mould in regions that had significant snow coverage and included but are not limited to Bruce, Grey, Huron, Perth and Wellington counties. Those fields effected were generally planted early and had lots of top growth. There are also varietal differences with more susceptible varieties showing more severe symptoms. When and where does it occur?…
Tracey Baute March 23, 2021 326 Comments Off on 2021 Great Lakes and Maritimes Pest Monitoring NetworkThe 2021 Great Lakes and Maritimes Pest Monitoring Network (GLMPMN) is up and running for the 2021 season. We are monitoring for black cutworm (BCW), corn earworm (CEW), European corn borer (ECB), fall armyworm (FAW), true armyworm (TAW) and western bean cutworm (WBC) across the region and are providing an interactive real-time map and trap data dashboard that summarizes the…
Tracey Baute March 23, 2021 302 Comments Off on GLMPMN 2021 Trap Set Up Instructions and Trap Supply NeedsCalling all GLMPMN Trap Participants! Please find below the instructions on how to set up a trap in your field and where to get the trap supplies for reach pest that you are monitoring. Not, each pest requires a specific trap type and lures as indicated in each of the instructions below. Once you have set up your traps, you…
Frost seeding is a popular way to renovate an existing forage stand and is most effective in fields where patches of bare soil at least the size of a loonie are visible. With spring around the corner, many producers have questions about how to best use this technique to improve their hay fields and pastures. When can I frost seed…
Ben Rosser March 22, 2021 320 Comments Off on Agronomy Guide For Field Crops – Corn – Hybrid SelectionHybrid Selection Maturity Ratings Corn development is driven primarily by temperature, especially during the planting-to-silking period. Unlike soybeans, day length has little effect on the rate at which corn develops. The Ontario crop heat unit system has been developed to calculate the impact of temperature on corn development. Ontario crop heat units (CHUs) are calculated based on daily maximum and…
Cereals can be used instead of corn as an energy source in livestock rations, and this substitution can help disrupt corn rootworm life cycles in the field. When growing cereals for feed the key areas to focus on include variety selection, establishment, fertility and disease management. Winter Cereals Growing a great cereal crop starts with selecting a variety that is…
Silage corn is grown to provide energy and fibre in a ration. It has very high yield potential. In addition to breaking corn rootworm lifecycles, alternatives to silage corn need to offer similar yield and nutritional value (Table 1). Producers should consult a livestock nutritionist to ensure rations are properly balanced. Table 1. Typical nutritional quality and yield of some annual forage…
