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As seed orders are being finalized, it’s a good time to reassess whether insecticide seed treatments are truly needed. A comprehensive 4-year study led by Dr. Jocelyn Smith at the University of Guelph – Ridgetown Campus evaluated 129 corn and 31 soybean field trials across Ontario. The study compared fungicide-only seed treatments (FST) with neonicotinoid […]
Early Season Cold Stress Frost damage in May or June will generally have little impact on the crop, provided the growing point of the corn plant is still below the soil surface. This is the case until the young plant reaches roughly the sixth-leaf stage (V6). On more advanced plants and/or where damage is more […]
Diseases Figure 1. Corn scouting calendar, shows diseases that could be causing the symptoms in the field. Individual descriptions of diseases, scouting and management strategies can be found in Chapter 16, Diseases of field crops. Figure 1. Corn Scouting Calendar (Disease calendar with links to various diseases in disease section below) Seedling Blights Anthracnose Leaf Blight […]
Insects and Pests Figure 1. Corn scouting calendar, shows insects and pests that could be causing symptoms in the field. Individual descriptions of insects and pests, scouting and management strategies can be found in Chapter 15, Insects and pests of field crops. Figure 1. Corn Scouting Calendar (Insect and pest calendar with links to various pests […]
Corn Drying The three general types of grain dryers used on the farm are: No single drying system is superior. Grain dryer selection is dependent on desired features, including drying capacity, grain quality, fuel/drying efficiency (BTUs per volume of water removed), convenience, manpower required to run the dryer, ability to dry a variety of crops, […]
Harvesting Physiological maturity (black layering) occurs when the grain moisture content reaches 31%–33% moisture. After this stage, there is no dry matter added to the corn kernel. Harvesting grain corn at moisture contents above 28% often results in significant damage to the grain and makes it more difficult to market commercially. High quality food grade […]
Figure 1. Corn scouting calendar, shows insects and pests that could be causing symptoms in the field. Individual descriptions of insects and pests, scouting and management strategies can be found in Chapter 15, Insects and pests of field crops.[BR1] Figure 1. Corn Scouting Calendar (Insect and pest calendar with links to various pests in pest section […]
Magnesium Magnesium is plentiful in most Ontario soils, but deficiencies can occur on acidic, sandy soils. The symptoms appear first as yellow striping of the lower leaves (Figure 1). As the deficiency worsens, the upper leaves may become striped while the lower leaves turn reddish-purple. Dolomitic lime is an excellent source of magnesium where limestone […]
This article was written by Jonathan Sawicki, a summer research assistant with OMAFA assisting with corn research and extension projects during the summers of 2023 and 2024. Jonathan is now an M.Sc. candidate in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of Guelph. This article discusses the challenges Ontario agriculture faced in 2024 due […]
Potassium (K) There are two distinct approaches to managing potassium (K); one is referred to as the “Sufficiency Approach” and the other is the “Build (or Target) and Maintain Approach”. OMAFA K guidelines for corn as outlined in this section adhere to the Sufficiency Approach, for a more detailed explanation of the two approaches and […]
Phosphorous (P) There are two distinct approaches to managing phosphorous (P); one is referred to as the “Sufficiency Approach” and the other is the “Build (or Target) and Maintain Approach”. OMAFA P guidelines for corn as outlined in this section adhere to the Sufficiency Approach. For a more detailed explanation of the two approaches and […]
Lack of rains and hot temperatures have two spotted spider mites (TSSM) exploding in some fields. Scouting soybeans and dry beans frequently for TSSM this time of year is important, as infestations tend to be noticed too late from the road when management was required much earlier. Mite infestations typically start on the fields edge, […]
Nitrogen (N) Corn responds well to nitrogen, so adequate availability of nitrogen is critical to profitable corn production. Excess nitrogen adds unnecessary expenses and increases the risk of nitrate movement to ground water, poorer quality of surface water and production of greenhouse gases through nitrous oxide emissions. Insufficient nitrogen leads to nitrogen deficiency. Nitrogen deficiency […]