Crop Report – Week of July 24th, 2023

Injecting anaerobic digestate after wheat harvest into a growing cover crop to maximize soil health benefits and economic value of nutrients.

Getting to Know your Manure with a Manure Analysis The “magical” qualities of manure and organic amendments for providing long-term benefits have been well documented, especially for maintaining and improving soil organic matter. Sourcing off farm manure and organic amendments has become more difficult and expensive with the increased interest in improving soil health, therefore […]

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Nitrogen losses in saturated soils

Recent rainfalls have brought about an abrupt change to soil conditions in some Ontario fields in just a few short weeks ago.  Localized heavy rainfalls have left some fields with standing water in low-lying areas, while many fields are wet or saturated.  This has raised questions about the potential losses of nitrogen (N) for the […]

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Crop Report – Week of July 3rd, 2023

Levels of dimethoate effectiveness in two-spotted spider mite populations collected in 31 soybean fields in 2021 and 2022.

Dimethoate Resistant Two-Spotted Spider Mite Populations in Ontario Soybeans Results from bioassays conducted on two-spotted spider mite (TSSM) populations collected in soybean fields across Ontario show the prevalence of dimethoate (Cygon or Lagon) resistance is high in some areas. Through a collaborative project with Dr. Vojislava Grbic, Professor at Western University, Dr. Ian Scott at […]

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Crop Report – Week of June 26th, 2023

Tar spot injury on corn

Corn Tar Spot Watch Begins! Tar spot has now been established in the midwestern US for almost a decade and is an annual concern in many Midwestern states like Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin. While tar spot was not as yield-limiting in these areas in 2022, it continued to expand its range across the […]

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What does 2023’s Weather Tell Us about Anticipated Soil Nitrogen Supply?

A sidedress applicator injecting nitrogen fertilizer in-season in corn.

Summary Background Throughout the growing season, microbes within the soil break down organic nitrogen contained in soil organic matter and release it as plant-available ammonium.  This process is known as nitrogen mineralization. Nitrogen mineralization is favoured by warm soil temperatures with adequate soil moisture and aeration.  Excess moisture can slow mineralization or increase the potential […]

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