Registration for the 2026 Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) is now open. The Great Lakes YEN works to help farmers improve crop returns through a greater understanding of crop performance. The Great Lakes YEN is currently focused on winter wheat and covers the geographic area of the Province of Ontario, Canada, and the Great […]
Co-Authored with Shane McClure and Middlesex Soil and Crop Improvement Association Purpose: Adequate soil phosphorus (P) and potash (K) levels are essential to produce high yielding crops. With high fertilizer prices it is important to use the fertilizer as efficiently as possible. Using starter fertilizer can be an effective way to apply fertilizer but what […]
Identification True armyworm (also known as common armyworm), when full grown, are 4 cm (1 1⁄2 in.) long. They can vary in colour from dull-green to brown or black. Two distinguishing features are orange stripes bordered by a thin white line running laterally along the body and dark horizontal bands at the top of each […]
Identification Cereal leaf beetle (CLB) adults have metallic, blue-green wings, are approximately 5 mm (1/5 in.) in length, with a reddish-orange head and legs (figure 1). CLB eggs are football shaped and approximately 0.5 mm in length (figure 2). They are laid on the upper surface of the leaf, close to the midrib and start […]
Identification Cereal aphids are a complex of three different species that infest cereals. Bird cherry-oat aphids (figure 1) are the most common aphid found in Ontario cereals. These aphids are small, 2 mm (1/12 in.) or less. Adults are olive-green with patches of red-purple near the rear of the abdomen, between a pair of “tailpipes” […]
Summary Wheat is most susceptible to fusarium head blight (FHB) infection during the flowering period. Spores are carried from infected crop residue by wind or rain and splash onto the wheat head. Rainfall or heavy dew during this period then causes the spores to germinate and infect florets on the wheat head. Identification Symptoms of […]
Identification Stripe rust causes yellow to orange, blister-like lesions that are arranged in stripes on the leaf of the wheat plant (Figure 1 and 2). If left untreated, stripe rust can cause significant yield reductions. In previous stripe rust years, where growers had a high incidence of stripe rust that was not controlled through appropriate […]
Identification The primary symptoms of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) include stunting and yellowing, reddening or purpling of the leaf tips (Figure 1 and 2). BYDV is often confused with nutrient deficiency or other environmental causes, or other virus diseases such as wheat spindle streak mosaic virus (WSSMV) or soil-borne wheat mosaic virus (SBWMV). Identifying […]
Introduction Lodging of cereal crops can be a major harvest challenge and can cause significant yield loss when it occurs early crop development. Variety selection, history of manure and organic matter levels, seeding dates and rates and disease infections all play a role in lodging susceptibility. There are significant varietal differences in resistance to lodging. […]
Summary Winter wheat is most susceptible to black point during grain fill and ripening. Black point does not cause yield loss but can reduce grain quality. Identification Symptoms of black point become noticeable as wheat matures and tissue begins to die. Fields will appear to have a black-like discolouration with symptoms being observed on […]
Summary Pre-harvest sprouting can be a concern if persistent rainfall events occur through to maturity and beyond. Pre-harvest sprouting can result in downgraded wheat at the elevator due to a low falling number. Pre-Harvest Sprouting Pre-harvest sprouting is the initiation of grain germination prior to harvest (Figure 1). When sprouting occurs, alpha-amylase is produced which […]
The Ontario Cereal Crop Committee (OCCC) 2025 winter wheat preliminary trial data for Area 1 and 2 is now available at GoCrops.ca. The 2025 preliminary data can be found in the tables under “winter wheat” in the “performance trial results” tab at GoCrops.ca. The final winter wheat data and PDF report will be finalized at the […]
This cooler, wet weather seems to have delayed plant growth but also has been ideal for pests to build in fields or do more feeding while the plant growth is slowed. Cereal aphids have been spotted in several fields from Harrow to Stratford. Though cereal aphids can often be found at low levels in cereals, […]
Interpreting the available nutrients in a fertilizer analysis Whether you are using a commercial fertilizer, organic amendments like manure or compost, or fertilizer by-products from industrial sources, it’s critical to know the nutrient analysis of the product. Analyses for agricultural nutrient sources may come in several different ways: When using a nutrient fertilizer source that […]
Cereal leaf beetle (CLB) adults and eggs have been spotted at low levels in some of the YEN cereal sites being monitored this year. Best to scout fields with a known history of CLB activity soon and plan to check all cereal fields a few times over the next few weeks until the head is […]