Co-authored with Albert Tenuta, Field Crop Pathologist, OMAFRA 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,…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team August 13, 2020 683 Comments Off on OMAFRA Field Crop Report – August 13, 2020This week we would like to discuss tar spot in corn as well as soybean cyst nematode and sudden death syndrome in soybean. Tar Spot in Corn There is a lot of discussion and questions surrounding tar spot this year in Ontario. Tar spot is a new corn disease in the US midwest and since its initial confirmation in northern…
Which Dual or Twin Fan Nozzle Should I Buy?
Joanna Follings June 4, 2020 603 Comments Off on Disease Management in Winter and Spring Cereal CropsAs I write this article the disease pressure in cereals has been quite minimal to date due to the cool conditions cereals have experienced so far. However, as temperatures begin to rise and canopies get thicker producers should be on the lookout for those important cereal diseases in both your winter and spring cereal crops. Here are a few key…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team September 19, 2019 1406 Comments Off on Ontario Field Crop Report – Week of September 16, 2019Fall Means – Sampling for Soybean Cyst Nematode! As fall approaches, two things are certain – winter will come and soybean cyst nematode (SCN) has done its business! For many growers, managing soybean cyst nematode means planting SCN resistance varieties BUT effective SCN management does not end when you have selected your soybean varieties! It is imperative to not only…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team August 15, 2019 1539 Comments Off on OMAFRA Field Crop Report – Week of August 12, 2019Winter Wheat Winter wheat harvest is winding down across the province and reported yields to date have ranged from 80-130 bu/ac which compares well to the five-year average yield of 82.7 bushels/ac. This was a pleasant surprise for many growers’ considering all the stresses the winter wheat crop had to endure. Good reports of straw yield averaging 4000 pounds per…
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…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 30, 2019 1747 Comments Off on Ontario Field Crop Report – Week of May 27th, 2019Planting progress remains slow for all crops, and spray applications have also been significantly delayed by poor weather. Temperatures forecasted for early June are relatively cool, remaining around or below the 20°C mark in many regions. Corn Corn planting progress at the end of May was estimated to be less than 50% complete. In some regions, corn planting at the…
In properly ensiled corn silage, research has not shown an increase in mycotoxins from levels in the crop at harvest. Fusarium species, the fungi that produce DON, do not like low oxygen, low pH environments, so if corn goes through the proper ensiling process fusarium should no longer be active and able to produce DON. It takes at least three…
While growers are encouraged to find all avenues possible to clean or market their corn, with elevated ear moulds in the 2018 Ontario corn crop, there may be fields with DON levels that render the crop unmarketable. These fields will require destruction in preparation for the 2019 crop season. Destroying a corn crop at harvest will present challenges for 2019,…
End Uses for Mouldy Corn in 2018 Harvesting is of course the preferred option but for some producers finding a market for mouldy or corn with high levels of DON content can be difficult this year as well as it takes time to find alternative uses or streams for this corn. Livestock producers, especially those with hogs, cannot feed high…
STORAGE TIPS FOR MOULDY CORN! 1. Harvest infected fields early, and dry corn as soon as possible after harvesting. Do not store wet grain overnight in trucks, wagons, or bins. 2. Dry corn using high-temperature drying, to 15% moisture or less. This stops mould growth and mycotoxin production, but does not reduce mycotoxins already present. Low-temperature drying takes much longer,…
HARVEST TIPS FOR MOULDY CORN! 1. Prioritize your corn harvest and storage. Do not mix old crop (2017) or low DON corn with potentially mouldy corn from this harvest. Livestock producers, especially hog, will want to scout fields, sample and test for mycotoxins in order to store their cleanest corn for feeding purposes. Cash croppers are advised that the same…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team October 31, 2018 3569 Comments Off on Laboratories Offering Mycotoxin Analysis in OntarioLaboratories Offering Mycotoxin Analysis in Ontario Lab & Address Toxins * Cost per sample **** Turn Around Time ***** A&L Canada Laboratories Inc. 2136 Jetstream Rd. London, Ontario N5V 3P5Tel: 519-457-2575 Elisa DON by LCMS/MS $25.65/toxin/sample; 2 days $76.90; 3-5 days 3 – 5 days Actlabs Agriculture 41 Bittern Street Ancaster, Ontario L9G 4V5 Tel: 905-648-9611laboratory@actlabsag.com LC-MS/MS Test for (16…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team October 31, 2018 4403 Comments Off on Good Mycotoxin Test Begins With A “Representative” Sample!Good Mycotoxin Test Begins With A “Representative” Sample! The importance of collecting a “representative” sample cannot be overestimated. The most significant variable associated with mycotoxin test results comes from incorrect sample collection or uneven distribution of infected kernels in load (Figure 1). Although taking a sample from the top of a storage bin, truck or combine may be easy and…
