Potato leafhopper is a major alfalfa pest in Ontario. Yield losses may reach 50%, and crude protein content can drop 2-3% from heavy infestations. Potato leafhopper feeding decreases stand vigour, slows regrowth and increases winterkill. The simple answer As alfalfa gets taller it can tolerate more potato leafhoppers before action is necessary to protect forage […]
The principles of selecting a winning variety do not vary greatly from crop to crop. Quality factors for specific end-use products and the impact on price and yield are confounding factors with wheat variety selection. Ontario grows more types of wheat than any other region in Northeastern North America. Milling and horse oat markets also […]
Winter canola has proven to be a profitable field crop that provides diversity to crop rotations in Ontario. If you are considering winter canola, this planning checklist will increase the probability of growing a successful crop. Location Growing location is critical for crop success. Winter survival will be poor in regions with harsh, long winters. […]
Soil compaction negatively affects crop health and grain yield. There are many factors that contribute to soil compaction, but what are the biggest contributors and how can their impact be reduced? The simple answer Focus on these five best practices for the greatest impact on minimizing soil compaction: A little more information Since 2017, eight […]
Some growers prefer 30” rows because of reduced seed costs and reduced white mould pressure. But it’s known that wide rows yield less, especially in northern climates. A number of research trials were conducted in 2022 and 2023 to determine if applying both starter nitrogen (N) and fungicides along with early planting could close the […]
Livestock manure is an excellent source of nutrients that can complement commercial fertilizer applications to produce high yielding, high quality crops. Studies have demonstrated improved yield and economic returns from the use of manure in cropping systems. The simple answer The short answer is yes. Manure (of any type) is found in most regions of […]
Tillage Options Cereal crops do not respond significantly to tillage. Research comparing the yield response of winter wheat to various tillage options demonstrated an economic advantage to reduced tillage with no significant yield difference among mouldboard plowing, minimum tillage and no-till systems, as shown in Table 4–1, Winter wheat yield response to tillage systems. While yields […]
Insects and Diseases Individual descriptions of pests as well as scouting and management strategies can be found on www.DryBeanAgronomy.ca. Recommended treatments to control insects, pests and diseases can be found on the OMAFA Crop Protection Hub. Frost and Hail Damage Both frost and hail can be devastating to a bean crop. The extent of early-season […]
Dry edible beans are sensitive to damage at harvest. Beans are sold based on eye appeal so seed coat quality and colour are important. Producing beans that are clean, bright and whole is the ultimate goal and timely harvest is paramount to maintaining quality. Know the quality standards for the crop’s market class. The ideal […]
Nitrogen Although dry edible beans are legumes, they obtain less than half their nitrogen requirement through nitrogen fixation. Studies have not shown a benefit to inoculation with rhizobia. Ontario nitrogen research has demonstrated yield increases in some years, but has not shown an economic response to pre-plant incorporated or banded nitrogen. Nitrogen applied pre-flower does […]
Bean varieties are characterized by their growth habitat. Indeterminate plants continuously grow and exhibit long vines. Most of the commonly grown bean types have a semi-determinate growth habit, meaning they continue to grow after flowering begins and develop short to long vines. Determinate types tend to flower and ripen over a short period. Determinate types […]
Seed Quality Using high-quality, pedigreed seed from inspected fields is important to promote early season vigour and reduce the risk of seed-borne disease. Bacterial blights, anthracnose and BCMV are seed-borne diseases that cause serious issues in some years. Most coloured bean seed (except black bean seed) is imported from arid growing regions in the U.S. […]
Annual variety performance information is published by the Ontario Pulse Crop Committee at www.GoCrops.ca Before deciding on a marketing class, carefully consider the unique production requirements and risks for each class. There are differing seed sizes and plant architectures that may dictate the required equipment and harvest method, and for some classes there are distinct […]
The most important factors in field selection include: Soil Type and Structure Fields planted to dry edible beans are susceptible to soil erosion due to late planting, slow growth and the relatively poor root systems of the crop. The crop canopy and crop residue only protect the soil for a relatively short period of the […]
Dry edible beans grow best in soils with excellent soil structure and good drainage. The seedbed requirements are similar to those for soybeans, including a firm seedbed to enhance a uniform planting depth and good seed-to-soil contact to promote rapid and uniform emergence. The best, highest-yielding stands come from beans that emerge within a week […]