Lodging of cereal crops can be a major harvest issue and can cause significant yield loss when it occurs early in the growth of the crop. Huge varietal differences exist in resistance to lodging (visit www.gocrops.ca). Nitrogen rates, use of manure, seeding rates, seeding dates, and disease infections all play a major role in lodging […]
Fungicides have become an integral part of the integrated pest management (IPM) for cereal production in Ontario over the past decade. This is due to several factors including: higher grain prices, better genetics, better fungicides, and breakdown of genetic disease resistance. Fungicide application for disease control should be based on scouting and presence of disease […]
Nitrogen Cereals are members of the grass family and are very responsive to nitrogen. Over-application of nitrogen causes lodging in cereal crops, resulting in reduced yield, quality and harvestability. See Photo 4-2. The optimum rate of nitrogen for a particular field will depend on the crop being grown, past applications of manure or fertilizer to […]
Depth of Seeding Seeding depth can have a significant impact on plant development, refer to Figure 1, Days to emergence at various seeding depths, but soil conditions at the time of planting must always dictate seeding depth. Do not plant shallow into dry soil in anticipation of rain for germination. Plant into moisture to ensure quick […]
Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are applied to winter wheat to reduce plant height and increase stem thickness. Reducing the risk of lodging or delaying the onset and amount of lodging that occurs makes it easier to manage and harvest wheat. PGRs can also improve yields, particularly where moderate to severe lodging occurs. The simple answer […]
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 […]