“Do not be cheap. Weed control is an investment into the current and future crops on every field.” That was parting advice from Norfolk and Oxford County farmer Ann Vermeersch at the 2019 FarmSmart Conference in Guelph. In front of 80 farmers and agronomists, I moderated a session with Vermeersch and Steph Kowalski, a […]
My colleague Dr. Clarence Swanton (University of Guelph) used to say that based on research he did in the 1980’s, one should not expect to control weeds with cover crops. Their utility was in preventing soil erosion and improving soil health but not in significantly reducing weed populations. However, Dr. Swanton has had to re-think […]
OMAFRA has digitized all of their former print versions of crop protection resources (such as the Guide to Weed Control) into the Crop Protection Hub. A main driver of this change was to ensure that Ontario Agriculture had access to the most accurate and current information on pest management. The process required to create print […]
This post will serve as a repository for the latest in the integrated management of common ragweed in field crops. […]
For over 30 years, the Ontario Agriculture Colleges (OAC) “weed’s team” has competed in the Collegiate Weed Science Competition organized by the North Eastern Weed Science Society. In preparation for the “herbicide identification” portion of the competition, each year an area at the Elora Research Station is planted to a number of different crop and […]
In, Dealing with Escapes – What will they cost you? , we discussed late emerging weeds and their effect on corn yield. We also discussed some points to consider beyond the effect the weeds will have on yield and why you might consider a post application. A post-emergence application can provide you with the opportunity to control […]
Previously we discussed the possible benefits of using a pre-emergence soil applied herbicide application in a 2-pass weed management plan. Those benefits include protecting yield, providing a wider window for a post-emergence application and as a resistance management strategy. In this installment we look at the effect of weed emergence, following a pre-emergence application, on […]
Volume 1 of the inaugural “Problem Weed Guide for Ontario Crops” includes management strategies for 19 species in corn, soybean and cereal crops that is cited from work conducted by the University of Guelph Department of Plant Agriculture as well as other peer reviewed studies. This 176 page guide features over 175 images and 50 […]
In “Going for the Set up”, we looked at a number of pre-emergence set up options in corn and discussed reasons to consider going with a set up program. Today we look at a situation where you have made the decision to go with the set up program but are noticing some late emerging weeds. […]
In Part 1, “Big Weeds = Big Deal!” we touched on the importance of early weed control to protect corn yield. Today in Part II, “Going for the Set up”, we will explore a number of set up programs for use in a two-pass weed control program in RR corn and give you something to […]
This is part of a short series focusing on weed management in field corn. In Part 1 – “Big Weeds = Big Deal” we look at what happens when Mother Nature delays our herbicide application. Data collected by Peter Sikkema will show the possible repercussions of delayed application and the effect of weed size on […]
The increased acreage of genetically engineered (GE) crops planted in Ontario has not led to an increase in herbicide resistant weeds according to results from the University of Guelph’s testing laboratory. Table 1 summarizes the number of species confirmed as resistant to common herbicides used in Ontario over the past 40 years. There are currently […]
Co-written by Joanna Follings, Cereal Specialist Should you use 2,4-D to emerged wheat in the fall to control weeds? The short answer is no. First, the label clearly states under the “Application Timing” section: “Do not apply to seedling winter cereals in the fall.” Second, there are other labelled and less injurious herbicide options that provide […]
Effective control of common burdock doesn’t happen overnight and is most successful when you can control new seedlings in the spring followed by controlling any larger first year plants in the fall so that they don’t overwinter, flower and disperse new seed the following year . Common burdock (Arctium minus) is a biennial that reproduces only […]
I was driving down a long country road and noticed that two large fields, where winter wheat was harvested almost eight weeks ago, had a beautiful thick canopy of oats. It wasn’t long until I came across a field that was left fallow, that it became clear why so many farmers had chosen to plant […]