Field Crop News

Introducing the New Adult Corn Rootworm Trap Network – Trap Participants Needed

Tracey Baute May 27, 2021 269 Comments Off

Several US states and Canadian provinces are joining forces to monitor for adult corn rootworm (CRW) beetles this year. Though some US states have been monitoring adult rootworm beetles using sticky traps for several years now, trapping for CRW is relatively new for Ontario. Weekly trap data for all trap sites involved will be collected and mapped in real-time by…

Crop Report – May 26, 2021

Figure 1. Cereal rye left as over-winter cover crop is being harvested as high quality ryelage and will be followed with a crop of corn or soybeans immediately after harvest.

OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 27, 2021 237 Comments Off

Crop Reports

Conditions Some thunderstorms through Essex provided some moisture, but most areas of the province received less than 5 mm over the long weekend and conditions throughout the province remain dry. Temperatures have transitioned from colder than normal to summer-like, and double-digit night-time temperatures have helped newly planted crops to emerge quickly. Cereals Early planted wheat fields are starting to head….

What’s up with Wheat – Diseases

Joanna Follings May 22, 2021 449 Comments Off

Diseases

With warmer temperatures wheat has really progressed across the province. Fields in southern Ontario are beginning to head out while fields further east and north are at or approaching flag leaf emergence. That being said, all herbicide applications should be wrapped up in those fields that are at or approaching flag leaf. Disease should be monitored for movement up the…

Northern AgriBusiness Breakfast Meeting – May 19, 2021

OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 21, 2021 282 Comments Off

Ag Business Minutes

The third Northern Ag Breakfast Meeting was held on May 19th. The last meeting will be held at 8:30am EDT on Wednesday June 2nd. Horst Bohner, OMAFRA Soybean Specialist, will provide some updates on soybeans and answer questions. Thanks to everyone who joins in our discussions. Ben Rosser, OMAFA Corn Specialist, shared updates from the first 2 years of…

Ridgetown-Simcoe Ag Breakfast Meeting Minutes– May 18, 2021

OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 20, 2021 248 Comments Off

Ag Business Minutes

General Progress: Corn planting is basically finished on the loamy soils and 60% completed on heavy clay soils. Soybean planting is in full swing with lighter soils 75% completed and heavier soils 30-40% planted. About 160 CHU accumulation since May 1 in Ridgetown/Chatham area. Conditions are dry, moisture would be welcome. Soils worked before May 13 (cool conditions) were retaining…

Crop Report – May 19, 2021

Figure 2. Land rolling can increase the risk of soil degradation in some conditions

OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 20, 2021 353 Comments Off

Crop Reports

Conditions Current weather patterns are generally expected to hold for the next week or so. This will allow for planting of corn and soybeans to be mostly complete by the last week of May, though many fields and farms will appreciate some rain soon, particularly in the far southwest (Figure 1). Significant precipitation is possible in the next two weeks,…

2021 Ontario Cereal Leaf Beetle Survey

Tracey Baute May 17, 2021 326 Comments Off

Baute Bug Blog

We are gathering cereal leaf beetle (CLB) data again this year to help validate growing degree day models generated by AAFC-Saskatchewan. If you are out scouting cereal fields this growing season and come across CLB, we want you to let us know where you are finding this pest, what stage and how many you are finding. To enter your field…

Cobourg-Winchester Breakfast Meeting Minutes – May 12, 2021

OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 14, 2021 285 Comments Off

Ag Business Minutes

Overall Conditions A quiet breakfast meeting usually means fields are busy, and indeed that was the case this week. There have been showers across region over the past couple of weeks, but very scattered. This has slowed down planting progress where rains have been heavier. On average, moisture levels have been good but temperatures remain low, particularly overnight, leading to…

Slowing down the rotation protects pasture yield

Christine O'Reilly May 13, 2021 3642 Comments Off

Pastures

Co-written by James Byrne, OMAFRA Beef Cattle Specialist Grass doesn’t just happen. Maximizing pasture yield requires management, and one of the most important decisions a manager can make is to give their grass enough time to fully recover after being grazed. Pastures have fully recovered from a grazing event when the grass plants have 3-4 new leaves. At this stage…

Exeter and Mount Forest Breakfast Meeting Minutes – May 11, 2021

OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 13, 2021 309 Comments Off

Uncategorized

Cereals Since our last meeting cereal growth has been slow in much of the area. From May 1st to today about 65-75 growing degree days have accumulated in the area. Most of the wheat is still at GS 31 to GS 32 in with earlier planted fields approaching flag leaf and late planted fields still around GS 30. Very little progress on herbicide, fungicide and plant growth regulator applications has been made due to…

Northern Ag Breakfast Meeting Minutes – May 5, 2021

OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 6, 2021 398 Comments Off

Ag Business Minutes

What seemed like an early spring for northern producers has become a more typical spring as conditions have remained cool. Aside from a brief window after the last meeting, there hasn’t been much field work done in the past two weeks. Our next meeting is on May 19th at 8:30am, and we will hear from Ben Rosser, Corn Specialist, and…

Crop Report – May 5, 2021

OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 5, 2021 351 Comments Off

Crop Reports

Winter wheat Winter wheat fields in general continue to be exceptional across the province despite temperature fluctuations. Continued cool weather the past week has resulted in some frost injury, but it is not expected to have any yield impact. In southern counties, early planted wheat is approaching the flag leaf stage. Later planted fields are advancing and identifying crop stage…

Ridgetown-Simcoe Ag Breakfast Meeting Minutes – May 4, 2021

overhead view of young wheat with some tissue injury

OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 5, 2021 294 Comments Off

Ag Business Minutes

The information below represents updates from Simcoe and Ridgetown areas and other parts of southwestern Ontario, including Middlesex, Huron and Perth counties. Weather A range of precipitation was reported from Monday’s rainfall – anywhere from 2 to 10 mm. With more light rainfall falling on Tuesday, it’s anticipated that field activity will start back up by later this week or…

April 2021 Forage Report

map of April 2021 percent of normal precipitation

Christine O'Reilly May 3, 2021 309 Comments Off

Forages

Winter of 2020-2021 was mild. Although snow cover was less than normal, there were relatively few thaws. A rapid thaw in early March melted most of the snow. The warm temperatures persisted for a few days, allowing perennial forages to break dormancy. Dry conditions throughout March with warm days and cool nights provided a window to frost seed that lasted…

When More Isn’t Better: Thoughts from the world’s #1 management thinker on farm resilience

OMAFRA Field Crop Team April 30, 2021 247 Comments Off

Cover Crops

By Paige Kennedy (view original post on Soils at Guelph website here) “I have a view worth hearing, but I might be missing something.” This is the attitude of an innovator described by top business mind, Roger L. Martin, at the virtual Midwest Cover Crops Council Conference on February 24. Roger Martin is professor emeritus and former Dean of the…