Weekly in-season progress reports of the Ontario field crop landscape
Tar spot in corn was first identified last year in Ontario on September 21, 2020 and confirmed to overwinter in Ontario on July 2, 2021 in West Elgin. Since then, tar spot has been also detected in Essex, Chatham-Kent, Lambton, Middlesex and Norfolk counties as of July 18, 2021 (Figure 1). This was anticipated since […]
Successful Subsoiling? In many fields, the month of August means the end of cereal harvest and the beginning of a window of opportunity. In many ways, this is the best time of the season for soil improvements beyond what small grains already provide. Applying manure, seeding cover crops, […]
Cover Crops for Weed Management It’s the time of year when Ontario farmers are turning their attention to seeding cover crops following cereal harvest. Each grower has their own reasons for growing a cover crop – whether it’s to improve organic matter, hold onto nutrients from manure, provide a nitrogen credit or protect against erosion. […]
What was that grassy weed in my winter wheat at harvest time? Three different types of grassy weeds have been found above the winter wheat canopy at harvest this year. To prevent them from becoming a problem, they need to be identified so that the appropriate management actions can be taken. Here is a breakdown […]
Revitalizing Soil with Manure and Cover Crops After Wheat Harvest Wheat in a crop rotation provides many benefits, including spreading weather risks that can impact yields and balancing workload more evenly between planting and harvest season. Wheat also provides the opportunity to revitalize the soil; to disrupt pest cycles; alleviate compaction and increase subsequent corn […]
There are mixed reports on the health of dry beans in Ontario this season. While many fields look good, rains following the initially dry conditions at planting have increased the incidence of root rots as well as the risk of white mould. Root Rot In Ontario, the four main fungal pathogens causing root rot […]
Are Double Crop Soybeans Following Wheat Harvest in Your Plans? The unprecedented price of soybeans has fueled considerable interest in double cropping soybeans. As winter wheat comes off there are a number of factors that should be considered. Since half the growing season is over by mid-July double cropping soybeans in Ontario is risky and not covered by crop insurance. Double cropping […]
The recent rainfall over much of the province was welcomed and appreciated by many. However, the heavy rain and winds proved to be a tipping point for some winter wheat with lodging occurring in all or parts of fields. While some wheat has managed to stand back up, the wheat remains flat where the lodging […]
It is proving to be another good insect year with several early season pests keeping everyone busy scouting to stay ahead of. Going into July and August, there are a few more pests that we need to keep watch for. Thrips continue to be spotted in soybeans, corn and wheat fields. There are several different […]
Corn Stand Checkup Scouting corn between emergence and knee high provides a report card on seedbed preparation, planter operation and agronomic practices affecting early plant establishment and growth. Causes of issues can often be identified at this stage to make improvements for following years. Counting Plants For easy math, a common method of measuring population […]
Corn Nitrogen Status Nitrogen mineralization is favoured by warm soil temperatures with adequate soil moisture and aeration. Excess moisture can slow mineralization or increase the potential for losses through denitrification (especially under warm conditions) or leaching. Spring of 2021 progressed similar to 2020. Sunshine and little rainfall resulted in great soil conditions through April and […]
Soybean Update The majority of the soybean crop was planted by May 20th. Although plant stands have generally been good, there are fields with poor emergence. Poor soybean stands can be caused by various issues such as insect or slug feeding, but this year the main problem […]
Conditions Some thunderstorms through Essex provided some moisture, but most areas of the province received less than 5 mm over the long weekend and conditions throughout the province remain dry. Temperatures have transitioned from colder than normal to summer-like, and double-digit night-time temperatures have helped newly planted crops to emerge quickly. Cereals Early planted wheat […]
Conditions Current weather patterns are generally expected to hold for the next week or so. This will allow for planting of corn and soybeans to be mostly complete by the last week of May, though many fields and farms will appreciate some rain soon, particularly in the far southwest (Figure 1). Significant precipitation is possible […]
Winter wheat Winter wheat fields in general continue to be exceptional across the province despite temperature fluctuations. Continued cool weather the past week has resulted in some frost injury, but it is not expected to have any yield impact. In southern counties, early planted wheat is approaching the flag leaf stage. Later planted fields are […]