A cooler than average start to the growing season has added some uncertainty to post-plant nitrogen fertilization strategies for Ontario corn producers. Soil supply of nitrogen to the corn crop is likely lower than normal due to reduced N mineralization from both soil organic matter and manure, and the Maximum Economic Rate of Nitrogen (MERN) […]
It’s been a tough spring across much of Ontario and growers continue to face variable weather conditions, creating both opportunities and challenges across regions. Frequent rain events have delayed planting in parts of eastern Ontario, particularly on heavier clays from Belleville to Kingston and Essex which had up to 3” of rain last week halting […]
Soybeans Soybean planting is largely complete on lighter textured soils and well drained fields. Planting is still underway on heavy soils and in regions of the province that continue to receive sporadic rainfall. Cool temperatures during April and May have slowed emergence, with fields taking longer to emerge this year. With warm weather, soybeans typically […]
Have you been seeing increased corn rootworm pressure in your continuous corn fields over the last few years? Monitoring with sticky traps can help you determine if you have a Bt resistant corn rootworm problem and it helps us keep track of where these problem fields are. Thanks to GFO and ABSTC, we still have […]
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 […]