Crop Report – Week of August 7th, 2023  

Figure 1. Good soil structure (a, left) vs. poor soil structure (b, right).

Identifying and Addressing Soil Structure Challenges   A well-structured soil improves water infiltration, air exchange, rooting, and ultimately crop yield. On the other hand, a cloddy, dense, or compacted soil may result in ponding, nutrient losses, and restricted root systems. Poor soil structure contributes to lower crop yields, especially in seasons that are either too dry […]

Read More…

Crop Report – Week of July 31st, 2023

Figure 1. Cover crop biomass harvested from a 0.25m2 area for tissue analysis.

Managing Cover Crop Nitrogen / Residue Breakdown Across Ontario, wheat harvest continues, opening the best window for planting cover crops in most field crop rotations. You can find more information on the  2023 winter wheat quality update and achieving success with cover crops after wheat at fieldcropnews.com. But can those cover crops be managed to […]

Read More…

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 […]

Read More…

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 […]

Read More…

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 […]

Read More…

Crop Conditions – Week of May 15th, 2023

Dandelion Application Timing Chart

Conditions Field conditions across the province have improved vastly over the last ten days. With sunshine and temperatures in the high teens to even high twenties in some areas, planting is rolling across a majority of the province. Field work began early last week with lighter soil but by late last week, work on heavier, […]

Read More…