This cooler, wet weather seems to have delayed plant growth but also has been ideal for pests to build in fields or do more feeding while the plant growth is slowed. Cereal aphids have been spotted in several fields from Harrow to Stratford. Though cereal aphids can often be found at low levels in cereals, […]
Cooler than normal weather continued, with several overnight lows below 10°C. In the southwest, crop heat units (CHUs) are below normal and about 200 below last year on this date. Planting is progressing as soils become fit; however, crop emergence has been slow. Cereals Winter wheat is moving into the heading stages with T3 fungicide […]
Alfalfa weevil is a major alfalfa pest in Ontario. Larvae feeding on alfalfa leaves can reduce both yield and forage quality. The simple answer As alfalfa gets taller it can tolerate more weevils before action is necessary to protect forage yield and quality. Action thresholds for managing alfalfa weevil are as follows: Stem Height Number […]
Field work progressed quickly across the province in the past week, with sunny skies and warm temperatures peaking on Friday, May 16th before scattered showers and below seasonal temperatures began on the Victoria Day long weekend. Widespread rainfall slowed field activities beginning mid-week. Soil temperatures have generally been cool, resulting in slow crop emergence and […]
Crop rotation is an integral part of the crop production system. The greatest benefit of rotation is increased yield, called the rotation effect. A well-planned crop rotation will also: Continuously growing any single crop will result in the build-up of diseases and insects specific to that crop and can cause yield reductions. For example, corn […]
Residue management impacts the quantity, location, and distribution of plant material left in a field, both on top of and within the soil. It includes factors such as harvest, tillage, and crops grown. Sound residue management is a critical component to success in field crop production, especially in reduced tillage systems. This factsheet focuses on […]
Ontario agriculture has changed drastically since the mid-20th century and even more in recent decades. Fields are much larger, crop and livestock production are more specialized, a smaller percentage of crops grown are perennial, and equipment is more sophisticated and larger than ever before. While modern crop production practices have brought gains in efficiency and […]
Inherent soil properties are a soil’s natural features; they fall outside the control of any land manager’s actions. Inherent properties have a great impact on the suitability of a soil to produce certain crops, as well as its overall productivity. In Ontario, inherent soil properties are a byproduct of glacial activity and retreat. Understanding inherent […]
Soil management refers to how a farmer works with their soil to produce crops. It includes all management aspects that impact soil, including the types and sequence of crops grown, residue management, tillage intensity and frequency, nutrient and pH management, and soil amendment application. Soil management has a strong influence on the productivity of any […]
Enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) are fertilizer sources or additives designed to delay or slow the release of plant-available forms of nitrogen in order to minimize losses to the environment. EEFs fall into two main categories: slow- or controlled release fertilizers, or nitrogen stabilizers (also called inhibitors). A 2020 fertilizer use survey conducted by Stratus Ag […]
Granular – primary nutrients – common sources Ingredient Grade1 (%) Other nutrients2 Salt index3 CaCO3 equivalent4 (lb/lb) Bulk density5 (lb/ft3) Bulk density5 (kg/L) Nitrogen (N) Urea 46-0-0 — 74 1.8 50 0.80 Ammonium nitrate 34-0-0 — 104 1.8 56 0.90 Calcium ammonium nitrate 27-0-0 4-6% Ca 0-2% Mg 93 0.9 68 1.10 Ammonium sulphate 21-0-0 […]
Excess fertilizer can harm seedlings due to injury from ammonia and salt. Fertilizer toxicity causes tissue damage to seedling roots and may result in delayed emergence and reduced plant stands. These effects are most often related to fertilizer nitrogen (N), potassium (K), and sulphur (S) content. Fertilizer toxicity varies widely, depending on soil texture and […]
Nutrient uptake and removal Nutrient uptake refers to the quantity of plant essential nutrient required for the crop to reach maturity – what is taken up in the aboveground portion of the plant. Nutrient removal is the nutrient content of the harvested portion of the crop that is removed from the field. In crops like […]
Soil management recommendations, including crop nutrient recommendations, must undergo a certain level of scrutiny before they are published in OMAFA crop production guides and other resource material. It’s important that Ontario producers using OMAFA published recommendations can be confident that these guidelines follow the latest proven science, and that they are removed from any potential […]
Soil pH To correct soil acidity, broadcast ground limestone and work it into the soil at rates determined by a soil test. Table 1, Guidelines for lime application to Ontario crops, shows the pH values below which liming is recommended, and the target soil pH to which soils should be limed for different crops. In […]