Joanna Follings – Field Crop News

Considerations for Fungicide Applications in Oat Production

Joanna Follings November 20, 2019 160 Comments Off

Oats

When we think about fungicide applications we naturally think about protection from disease. However, there has been more discussion and reflection about the additional benefits that fungicides may provide including an improvement in overall plant health and harvestability of a crop. This was something that was discussed at the Ontario Cereal Crop Committee (OCCC) table this fall as we made…

Impact of Planting Date and Growing Degree Day Accumulations in Winter Wheat

Joanna Follings October 28, 2019 854 Comments Off

Winter Wheat

Everyone is probably sick of me talking about the importance of winter wheat establishment and the need to seed winter wheat at the optimum time for improved success, yet we continue to push winter wheat seeding dates later and later each year. While there may be situations where we get away with seeding wheat into late October and November, it…

Inside Fusarium Head Blight Testing in Ontario Winter Wheat

Joanna Follings September 27, 2019 731 Comments Off

Uncategorized

This article was written by Liam McCarthy, University of Guelph. Liam was a summer student under the USEL program. Liam worked under the supervision of Nick Wilker and Mitra Serajazari from the U of G wheat breeding lab and Joanna Follings from OMAFRA. What’s the impact of fusarium head blight (FHB) on winter wheat production in Ontario? FHB is a…

Optimum Planting Dates for Winter Wheat in Ontario

Joanna Follings August 15, 2019 2847 Comments Off

Winter Wheat

As we saw with the 2019 winter wheat crop, if winter wheat is planted late and if conditions are not fit, there is a greater risk of winter survival issues. When it comes to determining your optimum planting date for your region, Ontario’s Optimum Winter Wheat Planting Date map (Figure 1) is a great resource. When determining the optimum date,…

Ontario Cereal Crop Committee 2019 Update

Joanna Follings August 2, 2019 835 Comments Off

Winter Wheat

Unfortunately, due to the wet fall and spring and impact of winter or spring kill across the province this year, the Ontario Cereal Crop Committee (OCCC) winter wheat performance trial data will not be available for the 2019 season, with the exception of Area V (Emo and New Liskeard). As a result, the OCCC will not be publishing a 2019…

Plant Growth Regulators – The Why, Where and When

Joanna Follings June 17, 2019 1377 Comments Off

Winter Wheat

With new plant growth regulators (PGRs) entering the Ontario market, many are asking, when and where should a PGR be used? First, it is important to know what the purpose of a PGRs is. PGRs can be applied to winter wheat to reduce plant height and increase stem thickness. This reduces the risk of lodging, making managing and harvesting a…

Managing Fusarium Head Blight in the 2019 Winter Wheat Crop

Joanna Follings June 3, 2019 1885 2 Comments

Diseases

The 2019 growing season has been a challenge for the winter wheat crop to say the least! While many winter wheat fields have been removed, a significant amount of stands remain and are being kept through to harvest. Given the wet conditions so far this spring and as we approach heading in many areas, it will be important to prepare…

Herbicides, Fungicides, Nitrogen and Sulphur – Prioritizing trips across your winter wheat fields this spring

Joanna Follings May 8, 2019 38941 Comments Off

Winter Wheat

Joanna Follings, Mike Cowbrough, Peter Sikkema, Dave Hooker and Peter Johnson Mother nature has finally awarded us with some sun and warmer temperatures which will hopefully get the remaining winter wheat stands off to the races. However, as we get out into the fields some are questioning what to prioritize and what practices to avoid so that we can minimize…

Managing Bare Areas in Winter Wheat Stands

Joanna Follings April 19, 2019 39376 Comments Off

Winter Wheat

How should one deal with large bare spots in a wheat field that is otherwise in good condition? Unfortunately, there isn’t a one size fits all solution because the size and number of bare spots in fields greatly varies. Here are some options and considerations for filling in those bare spots. Leave the Bare Spots Alone While doing nothing with…

Common Questions Related to Dealing with Sulphur Deficiency Symptoms in Winter Wheat

Joanna Follings March 20, 2019 2795 Comments Off

Winter Wheat

This article was written by Joanna Follings, OMAFRA Cereal Specialist and Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA Weed Specialist-Field Crops Q: Can I mix ammonium thiosulphate (ATS) with herbicides and fungicides to address sulphur deficiency symptoms or should I apply it separately with streamer nozzles? A: With reductions in atmospheric sulphur deposits, Ontario research has found significant sulphur responses (10–14 bu/acre) on some…

Assessing Winter Wheat Stands for Winter Survival

Joanna Follings March 18, 2019 819 Comments Off

Winter Wheat

Winter wheat can often be found to survive short freeze thaw events throughout the winter. However, there are concerns about crop damage and survivability, particularly in those fields that were planted late last fall and those fields that were covered in ice for prolonged periods. When making assessments for winter survival, fields are typically walked after a week or two…

Looking for Tillers? Consider Early Season Nitrogen Management!

Joanna Follings March 18, 2019 789 Comments Off

Winter Wheat

This past fall brought challenges for many growers. Prolonged wet weather delayed soybean harvest and pushed winter wheat seeding into late October and early November for some. Before the snow fell, many fields had not yet emerged. While the seed did germinate and vernalize, the late planting meant no tiller development. As a result, nitrogen management will be important in…

Winter Wheat Establishment: It’s All in the Details

Joanna Follings September 10, 2018 3594 Comments Off

Winter Wheat

The 2018 growing season had its challenges with a cool, wet spring followed by hot, dry weather during the critical grain fill period. The weather had a negative impact on yield for many while others were pleasantly surprised with yields pushing well over 100 bu/ac. So what did growers who fared better than others have in common even in a year with variable moisture?…

ONTARIO FIELD CROP REPORT – June 6, 2018

Joanna Follings June 14, 2018 1600 Comments Off

Crop Reports

Corn Many areas of the province saw rain over the weekend putting a stop to field activities for a day or two. Corn planting is wrapping up and progressing well with corn emerging as quickly as four days after planting. The earlier planted corn is at the V3-V6 stage and the corn planted later on the heavier ground is from…

Effectively Managing Stripe Rust

Joanna Follings December 6, 2017 1881 Comments Off

Diseases

Co-authored with Albert Tenuta, Pathologist, Field Crops In 2016 the milder winter conditions resulted in early leaf and stripe rust infections in Tennessee and Kentucky. This resulted in rust spores being blown into Ontario earlier than we typically see. By mid-May 2016, stripe rust was prevalent in most areas of southwestern Ontario. Growers who selected tolerant varieties or applied a…

Author: Joanna Follings