Caution! Members of the sorghum family – sorghum, sudangrass, and hybrid sorghum-sudangrass – contain dhurrin, a glucoside that breaks down to release hydrocyanic acid, also known as prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide, HCN). A sudden disruption of growth such as frost, drought or cutting, causes prussic acid to be released inside the plant at a more […]
Three tips for weed management this fall. Reflecting on some of the weed control issues that came up this past spring, below are three key items where management activities this fall can significantly improve control and/or financial return next season. 1. Fall management provides better dandelion control. In the fall, resource allocation of perennial weeds […]
Bacterial infections in dry beans Growing conditions this season have been ideal for certain bacterial diseases. Adzuki beans in a few different regions are exhibiting symptoms of bacterial brown spot (BBS), and in some cases the injury is severe. Symptoms on leaves appear as small necrotic lesions with a yellow margin (Figure 1). As symptoms […]
By: Joanna Follings and Emma Dieleman Ontario’s winter wheat planting recommendations were established in the 1990s using research trials conducted across the province. This research led to the development of the Ontario winter wheat planting date map (Figure 1). This research found that by every day planting is delayed beyond the optimum planting date for […]
For forage producers, the production year starts in the fall. What farmers do from mid-August to the end of the growing season impacts this winter’s feed inventory and next year’s forage yield potential. Feed the crop that feeds the livestock! Forage crops have the highest crop nutrient removal values of any field crop grown in […]
What Are Potential Impacts to Field Crops from Wildfire Smoke in 2023? Smoke from northern Ontario and Quebec wildfires was prevalent across Ontario for several weeks in June and early July. While a smoky haze was often visible during these weeks (Fig. 1), the heaviest days carried a campfire-like smell and reportedly even reduced visibility […]
Key Points When is the fall rest period? The fall rest period (sometimes called “critical fall harvest period”) for alfalfa is 450 growing degree days, base 5°C — or approximately 6-weeks — before the average date of the first killing frost (-4°C for several hours), when alfalfa stops growing. Not cutting during this period allows […]
Deb Campbell (Agronomy Advantage) notified me of high levels of bean leaf beetle (BLB) and pod feeding in IP and seed soybeans in Wellington, Grey and Simcoe counties. Fields in other counties could also be at risk, given how behind the crop is. BLB can feed on the surface of the pod which exposes the […]
In case you missed it, we announced earlier this year that ECB populations were found in Nova Scotia in the fall of 2022 that are resistant to Cry1Ab Bt protein used to control ECB in Bt corn. Given the level of injury found, the resistance was developing over a number of years and went unnoticed. […]
It was only a matter of time before Palmer amaranth was found on a farm in Ontario. Although technically it was found back in 2007 along a rail line outside of Niagara Falls, surveillance of that area in the years following have never detected any plants since the initial finding. In late summer, an individual […]
What to do with those stubble fields now? Consider BioStrip Till! Winter wheat combining has almost wrapped up across the province after a challenging harvest due to persistent rainfall. There is a lot of enthusiasm for wheat across Ontario as yields were good to excellent and quality was good. Now, what to do with the […]
Knowing What’s in Your Toolbox It’s the middle of August and we’re in that awkward lull where cereals are off, the last passes of fungicides on soybeans are done and it is almost time to start attending all those in-field plot days. Those days are meant to get producers talking, asking questions and get the […]
Identifying and Addressing Soil Structure Challenges A well-structured soil improves water infiltration, air exchange, rooting, and ultimately crop yield. On the other hand, a cloddy, dense, or compacted soil may result in ponding, nutrient losses, and restricted root systems. Poor soil structure contributes to lower crop yields, especially in seasons that are either too dry […]
Join the OMAFRA Soil Team and the Ontario Soil Network in London for a full day of collaborative learning. Dive deep into diagnosing and finding solutions for real soil health challenges in a real field! Share learnings and experiences with other soil health professionals, and pick up a great new ideas along the way. A […]
Managing Cover Crop Nitrogen / Residue Breakdown Across Ontario, wheat harvest continues, opening the best window for planting cover crops in most field crop rotations. You can find more information on the 2023 winter wheat quality update and achieving success with cover crops after wheat at fieldcropnews.com. But can those cover crops be managed to […]