The 2023 Ontario Corn Committee (OCC) hybrid performance trials are now available at GoCorn.net (Link HERE). Over past decades, Ontario’s average corn yields have increased around 2 bu/ac/yr. Staying current with new and competitive yielding hybrids is important. A key benefit of OCC trials is the ability to compare a large number of hybrids. These […]
Results from the 2023 Ontario corn rootworm (CRW) trap sites monitored through the Adult Corn Rootworm (CRW) Trap Monitoring Network have been summarized in the infographic below. Thank you to all the trap participants for monitoring their traps this year. These sites are helping us to identify fields and counties with potential resistant corn rootworm […]
OMAFRA field crop specialists in collaboration with Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) and members of the Ontario Agri-Business Association (OABA) have completed the annual Ontario corn ear mould and DON mycotoxin survey. Corn ear moulds such as Gibberella and their corresponding mycotoxins occur every year in Ontario. These mycotoxins, particularly deoxynivalenol (DON, also referred to […]
In case you missed it, we announced earlier this year that ECB populations were found in Nova Scotia in the fall of 2022 that are resistant to Cry1Ab Bt protein used to control ECB in Bt corn. Given the level of injury found, the resistance was developing over a number of years and went unnoticed. […]
Western bean cutworm (WBC) activity is trending higher this year than the previous three and could reach levels more similar to what we saw in 2018. WBC moth trap catches jumped this week by the 100s, with a few locations in Norfolk and east Elgin jumping into the 500 – 1000 moths per trap range. […]
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 […]
A few pests are starting to show up in fields. If you haven’t had a chance to take a look yet, plan to check those high risk fields that are prone to seeing soybean aphids (soybeans) or western bean cutworm (corn and dry beans) in the next week or so. Soybean aphids: Soybean aphids are […]
We should be seeing adult rootworm activity very soon so it is the perfect time to put up any CRW sticky traps. If you are new to the CRW Trap Network, Welcome! If you are returning from previous years, there are some new features you should be aware of. Trap Set Up in Field: Corn […]
True armyworm (TAW) has been spotted at near threshold levels in a winter wheat field near Niagara and has also caused significant damage in late planted seedling corn in Chatham Kent. Though most of our YEN wheat sites being scouted weekly have picked up only low levels of TAW in a few of the sites, […]
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 […]
Split application of nitrogen (N) in corn has been shown to offer many benefits to farmers, including a reduction in the total N required to produce a high-yielding crop. In-season application matches N supply closer to corn’s uptake pattern, and because of this, there is less nitrogen sitting in the soil in forms available for […]
Ontario needs corn rootworm trap participants, whether you’ve monitored traps in the past few years or not. Fields with a history of corn on corn are the preferred target. Any participants from last year are encouraged to use some of the same fields as last year, even if they rotated out of corn. This will help […]
This article is based on work performed by Mike Schryver, BASF Technical Service Specialist. It was originally published at Sprayers101.com, and you may have been redirected here from that site. Introduction Nitrogen is an essential nutrient required throughout a plant’s lifecycle. It is commonly applied to corn in either a granular form as urea or […]
Last week, we announced that a population of European corn borer (ECB) likely resistant to Cry1Ab was found in Nova Scotia last fall. In case you missed it, here is that announcement: Suspected Cry1Ab Resistant European Corn Borer Found in Nova Scotia. This finding is concerning, as the ECB populations in the area were previously […]
There is a shared responsibility for balancing more sustainable cropping practices with profitability. We know that improving nitrogen (N) management is important for the environment and on-farm economics, and we have reviewed a number of studies to guide on-farm practices to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The simple answer Yes, you can significantly increase […]