For forage producers, the production year starts in the fall. What farmers do from mid-August to the end of the growing season impacts this winter’s feed inventory and next year’s forage yield potential. Feed the crop that feeds the livestock! Forage crops have the highest crop nutrient removal values of any field crop grown in […]
What Are Potential Impacts to Field Crops from Wildfire Smoke in 2023? Smoke from northern Ontario and Quebec wildfires was prevalent across Ontario for several weeks in June and early July. While a smoky haze was often visible during these weeks (Fig. 1), the heaviest days carried a campfire-like smell and reportedly even reduced visibility […]
Deb Campbell (Agronomy Advantage) notified me of high levels of bean leaf beetle (BLB) and pod feeding in IP and seed soybeans in Wellington, Grey and Simcoe counties. Fields in other counties could also be at risk, given how behind the crop is. BLB can feed on the surface of the pod which exposes the […]
In case you missed it, we announced earlier this year that ECB populations were found in Nova Scotia in the fall of 2022 that are resistant to Cry1Ab Bt protein used to control ECB in Bt corn. Given the level of injury found, the resistance was developing over a number of years and went unnoticed. […]
It was only a matter of time before Palmer amaranth was found on a farm in Ontario. Although technically it was found back in 2007 along a rail line outside of Niagara Falls, surveillance of that area in the years following have never detected any plants since the initial finding. In late summer, an individual […]
What to do with those stubble fields now? Consider BioStrip Till! Winter wheat combining has almost wrapped up across the province after a challenging harvest due to persistent rainfall. There is a lot of enthusiasm for wheat across Ontario as yields were good to excellent and quality was good. Now, what to do with the […]
Knowing What’s in Your Toolbox It’s the middle of August and we’re in that awkward lull where cereals are off, the last passes of fungicides on soybeans are done and it is almost time to start attending all those in-field plot days. Those days are meant to get producers talking, asking questions and get the […]
Identifying and Addressing Soil Structure Challenges A well-structured soil improves water infiltration, air exchange, rooting, and ultimately crop yield. On the other hand, a cloddy, dense, or compacted soil may result in ponding, nutrient losses, and restricted root systems. Poor soil structure contributes to lower crop yields, especially in seasons that are either too dry […]
Join the OMAFRA Soil Team and the Ontario Soil Network in London for a full day of collaborative learning. Dive deep into diagnosing and finding solutions for real soil health challenges in a real field! Share learnings and experiences with other soil health professionals, and pick up a great new ideas along the way. A […]
Managing Cover Crop Nitrogen / Residue Breakdown Across Ontario, wheat harvest continues, opening the best window for planting cover crops in most field crop rotations. You can find more information on the 2023 winter wheat quality update and achieving success with cover crops after wheat at fieldcropnews.com. But can those cover crops be managed to […]
Western bean cutworm (WBC) activity is trending higher this year than the previous three and could reach levels more similar to what we saw in 2018. WBC moth trap catches jumped this week by the 100s, with a few locations in Norfolk and east Elgin jumping into the 500 – 1000 moths per trap range. […]
Getting to Know your Manure with a Manure Analysis The “magical” qualities of manure and organic amendments for providing long-term benefits have been well documented, especially for maintaining and improving soil organic matter. Sourcing off farm manure and organic amendments has become more difficult and expensive with the increased interest in improving soil health, therefore […]
Co-authored by Mike Cowbrough, OMAFRA Weed Management Specialist – Field Crops An annual ryegrass cover crop is excellent at scavenging nitrogen, improving soil structure, and preventing erosion. It tolerates low light levels well enough to be inter-seeded into an established corn crop and grows quickly enough with adequate moisture to help suppress weeds. For ruminant […]
With winter wheat harvest beginning in parts of the province, cover crop seeding will be close on its heels. Adoption of cover crops has increased in Ontario over the last number of years, and for good reason – they help improve water infiltration, compete with weeds, and capture left-over nutrients. In this article, I’ll share […]
Crop Report – Week of July 17th, 2023 As winter wheat harvest continues, persistent rainfall events are delaying harvest in some regions. While yields have been promising thus far; wheat quality has been a concern for some as harvest delays continue. Black Point As wheat matures and tissue begins to die, fields have turned black […]