Red clover haylage can sometimes be a good alternative to alfalfa. Under ideal conditions alfalfa will usually outyield red clover. However, in areas where alfalfa winterkill is a problem, red clover better tolerates imperfect drainage and lower pH levels, and can be grown in fields that are too wet or low pH for alfalfa. Red clover feed quality is similar to alfalfa…
Reseeding alfalfa following alfalfa is not a recommended practice due to the effects of autotoxicity, and plant diseases that can build up in the old stand. Alfalfa autotoxicity occurs when established alfalfa plants produce toxins which reduce both the germination (establishment) and the growth (yield) of new alfalfa plants. Autotoxicity can occur when alfalfa is reseeded into an old alfalfa field rather than…
Winterkill of forage stands is significant in many parts of eastern Ontario this spring. Both new forage seedings and older stands areeffected. A decision must be made to either keep and manage a reduced stand, or replace the stand with another crop. The first thing that forage growers need to do is to walk their field to assess for winter…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team April 25, 2013 1629 Comments Off on Simcoe Ag Breakfast Meeting Notes – April 24, 2013Highlights: Wet and cool weather has slowed spring field activity. This spring is more typical and most producers have not rushed to start planting. Corn planting started yesterday in some areas, but others are holding off. Growers that planted corn April 15 last year are less anxious to start early. Best yields came from the “typical” planting dates indicating that…
Synopsis: Very little nitrogen has been applied to wheat, and many are now abandoning plans for split application. In most areas the wheat looks good, including late plantings. Agricorp has received very few damage claims, and are busy inspecting uninsured late planted wheat. May 1 is deadline for applying for or making changes to crop insurance. Remind growers they need to insurance…
Synopsis: Much of the nitrogen on wheat has been applied further south (Essex) but progress has been spotty in this area. Much of the wheat further north has received no nitrogen yet which will probably mean that only one application of N will occur. (no split application) Overall the wheat looks good and Agricorp has received few calls on damage so far. There are still IP soybean contracts as…
The fertilizer value of liquid hog manure is significant and can provide all the required P205 and K20 and most of the nitrogen required by a corn crop. The table below shows the average available nutrients on a per thousand imperial gallons per acre basis. The availability is based on spring applied and incorporated within 1 day. When manure is fall…
Cereals Winter wheat survival is quite variable across the region. Survival is better in western Ontario. As a guideline, a good stand is 12 to 18 plants per foot of row. See Agronomy Guide, Table 4-8 Determining Yield Potential for Various Plant Stand Counts. 7 plants per foot of row, evenly distributed has a 90% yield potential. Only some nitrogen has…
With an increase in the number of confirmed populations of glyphosate resistant Canada fleabane in Ontario, many are looking for ways to control these populations and to eliminate any seed production. Management options in soybeans have been discussed in an earlier post, but with weed control in cereal crops imminent it is worth reviewing the most recent public data. The…
With corn planting season soon upon us, it is a good time to remind everyone to take extra precautions to try to reduce the risk to bees being exposed to neonicotinoid contaminated dust from corn planters. Virtually all corn seed is treated with a neonicotinoid insecticide (ie. Poncho or Cruiser), and with over 200 incidences of bee kills in Ontario…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team April 11, 2013 1205 Comments Off on Ridgetown Ag Breakfast Minutes, April 9th, 2013Synopsis: Sugar beet and potato plantings began last week, with carrots and onions ready to plant. Ground conditions have been tremendous, but will only deteriorate. Wheat looks excellent. Significant nitrogen was applied (up to 50% of acres) in some areas, with loss concerns after heavy rains. Hay and spring cereal seeding made good progress, red clover seeding is complete. A…
Frost heaving can significantly damage alfalfa plants, leaving stands with much less or even zero yield potential. Plants may initially appear undamaged, but taproots are typically broken and unable to pick up enough nutrients or moisture, and stands eventually die. Frost heaving of alfalfa happens when repeated freezing and thawing pushes the tap root and crown out of the soil. Heaving occurs through-out the winter season…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team April 11, 2013 1570 Comments Off on Simcoe Ag Breakfast Meeting Notes – April 10, 2013Highlights: Glyphosate resistance: hot button issue over the winter has been glyphosate resistant weeds, particularly Canada fleabane. Awareness is good at retail, but not at farm gate, where it varies from excellent to “what does fleabane look like?”. From Essex to Niagara, assume that fleabane is resistant. Control options are limited in no till soys after emergence because it is…
Below is a summary of all weed samples sent into the University of Guelph by producers and agronomists that suspected resistance to a particular herbicide during the 2012 season. Also included are herbicide options with different modes of action that are effective on each species. The latest summary of glyphosate resistant Canada fleabane and Giant ragweed populations is also listed….
Ben Rosser April 9, 2013 2819 Comments Off on The Impact of Row Unit Down Pressure Control on Corn Growth and YieldPurpose: Aftermarket planter modifications to control row unit down pressure have been well promoted into the Ontario marketplace, and are advertised for their ability to improve planter function, and final yields. The basic principles behind the modifications have merit, but the relative yield impacts of the different modifications, and their ability to respond above and beyond what is currently available…