It has been a few years for some since they have had to worry about soybean aphids, let alone make a spray decision. So I want to cover off the key points you need to know through some of the repeat questions that have been coming in. Anyone with more questions after reading this, please […]
I am getting a lot of emails with photos from keen reps who think they have found Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs (BMSB). I think it is awesome that everyone is taking this pest seriously and keeping an eye out for it in the fields but they are quickly learning that there are many other stink […]
The 2011 season is clearly not like 2010. We are not seeing a province wide WBC peak flight like last year. Based on the trap counts that came in this week, it appears that some counties experienced peak moth flight last week (August 1st to 7th) while other counties are still going strong and may […]
Not surprisingly, smaller weeds are easier to control. The assumption when using a glyphosate based herbicide is that when weeds get bigger, no worries, just add more glyphosate. A recent research trial conducted by Dr. Peter Sikkema (Ridgetown Campus, University of Guelph) would suggest otherwise. Take a look at the photo below. Glyphosate tolerant corn […]
The classic explanation of “too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry, too bad” surprisingly doesn’t cover all of the possible factors for why a herbicide doesn’t deliver 100% satisfaction. A recent field walk illustrated why physical obstruction and weed density are two factors that are every bit as influential as environmental conditions when it […]
In wheat stubble fields to be planted with corn, there was an unacceptable level of volunteer wheat plants that had emerged after the late September glyphosate application. Volunteer wheat is worth controlling since a modest density of 20,000 plants/ac, when left uncontrolled has resulted in corn yield losses of 5% in Ontario*. It’s best to […]
Reports are coming in late last week of fields in Eastern Ontario reaching well above threshold levels for soybean aphids. Just a few weeks prior, these fields had only 30 to 40 per plant. I suspect other fields in even Central and Southern Ontario will also experience this kind of rapid increase as daytime and […]
As mentioned yesterday, last week trap catches shot up significantly. I’ve included a graph to show just how big of a flight we are experiencing this year compared to previous years. Ontario 2009 2010 2011 Averages I’ve also included an updated graph showing the counties that have been catching the highest average number moths per […]
If you can believe it, we have not reached WBC peak moth flight yet! Trap counts continue to climb and some participants are having a hard time counting them all. During this intense period, I do recommend that our trap participants check their traps more than once a week, simply to keep on top of […]
Some scouts are starting to notice tiny WBC larvae that have hatched that crawling in the whorl or making their way down to the ear of the plants. To help you know whether they are WBC larvae, here are some photos. You can click on them to enlarge them. They start out with spots along […]
I’ve been getting asked this a lot over the last few weeks so I thought I had better finally write a quick blog on it. What is this insect? It’s a red-headed flea beetle. Very common in soybeans but even more abundant this year, showing up in other crops too. Defoliation in corn is not […]
There has been a great deal of debate about the need for boron on spring canola. It is well documented that boron plays a critical role in proper canola pollination and seed set. This has created quite a bit of interest from growers who have been experimenting with foliar boron applications at early-flowering. Also driving […]
There is a great deal of optimism out there amongst cash croppers, as markets flirt with $6 corn and $12 soybeans. Side effects of this bullish market are higher fertilizer prices, increased demand for corn and soybeans land, and higher land rental rates. How will this impact our ability to produce profitable forages? What production […]
Fields that usually get nitrogen applied prior to planting and incorporated may have been planted this year without any nitrogen in order to speed up the process. Post planting N application of UAN (28%) is a good option in these situations but there are a few things to consider. Nitrogen application using UAN will cause […]
May 2011 has been one of those wet starts to the growing season. Wet and warm weather provides good disease growing conditions. Disease pressure makes for poor spring cereal yields and grain quality. Is Fungicide Always Warranted? The question is, “when are fungicides warranted on spring cereals?” Timing application to the crop stage impacts the […]