Cool, Wet Springs Favour Early Season Pests
When springs are cool and wet, it results in two things. 1) Difficulty with getting good weed control in before planting and 2) Pushing planting into cooler soils that may cause the seed to sit for a while. Both of these can increase the risk for early season pest issues. Here are some of the […]
Central Ontario Crop Consultants Meeting- April 22, 2014
Central Ontario Crop Consultants Refreshment Sponsor: Jim Coffey, Pioneer Next meeting: Tues May 6th, 7:30 am @ Felix Weber, Agri-Coach, Palmerston Synopsis: Wheat survival is generally good, but with poor survival on heavy clay, variable drainage and wheat planted after thanksgiving. Nitrogen application starting this week. Oats, barley acres will be higher; soybean & , white bean acres […]
Ridgetown Ag Breakfast Minutes, April 22nd, 2014
Synopsis: It is National Soil Conservation Week! Wheat survival is extremely spotty. Estimate 10-15% will be replanted. Nitrogen applications are gearing up. Corn and sweet corn planting have started: excellent uptake of Fluency Agent by growers. Sugar beet and pea plantings are underway. Soils are drying nicely. Western bean cutworm is not expected to have […]
Corn Soil Insect Primer
Early season corn insect pests can significantly impact stand establishment. Below are the main corn seedling pests along with scouting technique, action thresholds and management strategies. (OMAFRA Publication 811, Agronomy Guide, Chapter 13 and Publication 812, Field Crop Protection Guide) Wireworm Description: Wireworms are 7 – 35 mm (1/4 to 1-1/3 inches) long, cylindrical, copper-brown […]
Ridgetown AgBreakfast Minutes, April 8, 2014
Note: New Location for Ridgetown AgBreakfast Meeting is the Campus Centre in the basement of Willson Hall, 7:15 am (U of Guelph Ridgetown Campus). A big thank-you to our Breakfast sponsor this week “St. Clair Region Soil and Crop Improvement Association” and Chad Anderson for their support. There are plenty of opportunities for others to […]
Bugs versus Slugs
I admit that scouting soys when just the cotyledons are out makes for tough pest injury diagnostics. It does take some years of experience to really get to know what you are looking at. Three pests that commonly feed on the cotyledons include seed corn maggot, bean leaf beetle and slugs. Occasionally, the feeding damage […]
Exeter Ag Breakfast Minutes, June 11
Synopsis: Note: the June 25th meeting will be at the Huron Research Station. Excessive rainfall has caused erosion and emergence problems. Corn is recovering from the frost. Zinc deficiency is apparent in corn. A tremendous amount of spraying needs to be accomplished with soils too wet to carry. Spray based on the growth stage of the weed not the crop! […]
PALMERSTON CROP CONSULTANTS MEETING JUNE 4TH, 2013
Synopsis: Rainfall over the weekend varied from 25-75 ml. Several areas report receiving over 7.5″ rain in past 2 weeks. Corn emergence is generally good. Soybean planting is generally 75% complete but varies from 20-100%. Growers in north Dufferin and south Simcoe have had particularly difficult time completing field work due to wet conditions. Most […]
Ridgetown Agbiz Breakfast Minutes, May 21, 2013
Synopsis: DRY! Excellent planting progress with corn finished and beans ranging 70% +. Small % corn seedlings showing abnormal/poor germ. Soil conditions EXTREMELY poor on heavy clays with excessive April rain (Lambton, Elgin). Excellent tillage discussion, with divergent viewpoints. Disappointment with uptake of proper burndown herbicide combinations in light of glyphosate resistant weeds. Advanced wheat […]
Exeter Agbiz Breakfast Minutes, May 14th, 2013
Synopsis: Corn planting is 85% complete, with 10% of soys planted. Wheat has progressed rapidly, with earliest wheat pushing the flag leaf stage: soon beyond herbicide applications. A great deal of sulphur deficiency is showing in wheat. Fortunately frost was a near miss with little damage. Glyphosate resistant weeds have been positively identified in Huron […]
Ridgetown Ag Breakfast Meeting May 7, 2013
Synopsis: Tremendous activity on the lighter textured soils (south of Hwy 401) with 80% corn planted on lighter soils. Planting on clay soils is just starting. Just a few soybeans planted but many growers gearing up if weather allows. Manganese and sulphur deficiencies are evident in the wheat crop. Advanced wheat is at flag leaf […]
Ridgetown Ag Business Meeting Minutes – June 19, 2012
Ridgetown Ag Business Meeting Minutes (June 19, 2012) Included: Crop conditions, armyworm, Yellow corn, SCN, aphids, soybean herbicide injury and more. NOTE: The tour of the Huron Research Station is available next Tuesday, June 26th. This was the last spring meeting for Ridgetown. A September meeting is planned either at Lynn’s Restaurant or at the […]
Exeter Ag Business Breakfast Minutes, June 12, 2012
Included: Yellow corn, armyworm, aphids, soybean herbicide injury and more. Synopsis: Rainfall has been good for the most part. 1.0 to 2.0 inches 10 days ago and about 0.5 inches fell last weekend. Rainfall was not a heavy downpour. Some sporadic showers came last night. There still are dry areas that got only 0.5 inches […]
Palmerston Crop Consultants June 5, 2012 Meeting
Synopsis: Most areas received between 1-2″ of rain, although few areas (Goderich) only received 1/2 this amount.. Fungicide application to wheat is ongoing with most fields sprayed. Corn advanced for leaf stage. Populations of corn and soys generally excellent although those planted last 10 days variable. Watch for armyworm, alfalfa weevil, cabbage seedpod weevil(canola). Wheat: […]
Ridgetown Agribusiness Minutes, June 5th, 2012
Included: Weed control, armyworm, corn field notes, double crop soys and more. Synopsis: Rainfall varies widely across the region, from 0.5 to 4.5”. Most areas have excellent moisture now, with a few dry pockets and a few waterlogged areas. Crops remain well ahead in development, with a suggestion that Michigan Sugar will open the plant […]