Tracey Baute March 23, 2021 476 Comments Off on GLMPMN 2021 Trap Set Up Instructions and Trap Supply NeedsCalling all GLMPMN Trap Participants! Please find below the instructions on how to set up a trap in your field and where to get the trap supplies for reach pest that you are monitoring. Not, each pest requires a specific trap type and lures as indicated in each of the instructions below. Once you have set up your traps, you…
Frost seeding is a popular way to renovate an existing forage stand and is most effective in fields where patches of bare soil at least the size of a loonie are visible. With spring around the corner, many producers have questions about how to best use this technique to improve their hay fields and pastures. When can I frost seed…
Ben Rosser March 22, 2021 500 Comments Off on Agronomy Guide For Field Crops – Corn – Hybrid SelectionHybrid Selection Maturity Ratings Corn development is driven primarily by temperature, especially during the planting-to-silking period. Unlike soybeans, day length has little effect on the rate at which corn develops. The Ontario crop heat unit system has been developed to calculate the impact of temperature on corn development. Ontario crop heat units (CHUs) are calculated based on daily maximum and…
Cereals can be used instead of corn as an energy source in livestock rations, and this substitution can help disrupt corn rootworm life cycles in the field. When growing cereals for feed the key areas to focus on include variety selection, establishment, fertility and disease management. Winter Cereals Growing a great cereal crop starts with selecting a variety that is…
Silage corn is grown to provide energy and fibre in a ration. It has very high yield potential. In addition to breaking corn rootworm lifecycles, alternatives to silage corn need to offer similar yield and nutritional value (Table 1). Producers should consult a livestock nutritionist to ensure rations are properly balanced. Table 1. Typical nutritional quality and yield of some annual forage…
Ben Rosser March 17, 2021 674 Comments Off on “Harvesting” Yield Monitor Plot Data with Free GIS SoftwareWhat’s my optimum corn population? Does the yield response for primary tillage cover its costs compared to reduced tillage? Does the additive this salesperson is promoting provide a yield response on my farm? They say you don’t know what you don’t measure. Many options exist for extracting yield monitor harvest data from on-farm trials. Some require paying for software…
Rootworm Biology and Impact Corn rootworm (CRW) is a serious pest of continuous corn in Ontario. CRW larvae are the main concern, as they clip roots and inhibit root growth, resulting in poor nutrient and water uptake in the plant. Significant yield loss occurs before these symptoms are even noticed. For every node of roots clipped, there is a…
Ben Rosser March 16, 2021 313 Comments Off on Agronomy Guide For Field Crops – Corn – No Till and Other ConsiderationsNo-Till Systems In no-till systems, tillage is not used to prepare a seedbed. Minimal soil loosening in a narrow band immediately ahead of the seed opener is performed by planter-mounted coulters and/or residue clearing devices. Successful no-till corn production is partially dependent on effective use of field management strategies which may include alternative production practices that compensate for what tillage…
Tillage To successfully produce corn in Ontario, it is important to consider factors such as soil texture and crop rotation. Factors that will influence tillage options include risk of erosion, availability of equipment and labour and impact on soil health. Soils in Ontario are usually saturated in early spring, and quick dry-down is necessary to ensure timely corn planting. Appropriate…
There has been a reoccurring phenomenon in winter wheat the last few years known as physiological flecking. While not exactly predictable, physiological flecking tends to occur if it is cloudy for an extended period followed by sunny periods. The wheat leaf cuticles can be thin due to the cloudy conditions, and when conditions turn sunny free radicals (unstable atoms)…
Timely planting of corn followed by in-crop manure application up to V4 stage of corn can reduce compaction, increase nutrient use efficiency and increase yield. $100 per acre extra value from applying manure after corn planting! Did that catch your attention? Nutrient-use efficiency is highest when the nutrients are applied to a growing crop. Field damage from compaction is reduced…
This article was written by Horst Bohner, OMAFRA Soybean Specialist, and Paul Sullivan, Sullivan Agro Inc. White mould can be one of the most devastating soybean diseases growers face. The extent of yield loss is largely dependent on the inoculum “load” of a field and the right weather occurring during soybean flowering. If the disease was previously a problem in…
Tracey Baute March 9, 2021 343 Comments Off on Summer Job Opportunity – Field Research Assistants Needed in RidgetownOrganization: Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Division/Branch: Economic Development Division / Agriculture Development Branch Position Title: Field Research Assistant (Field Crop); Field Research Assistant (Horticultural Crop) Job Term: Temporary, for up to 14 weeks, beginning spring 2021 Salary: …
Meghan Moran March 5, 2021 248 Comments Off on Summer Job Opportunity: Canola & Edible Bean Research AssistantJob Term: Full time temporary for up to 16 weeks, beginning spring 2021 Salary: $15.10 / hour, based on a 36.25 hour work week Office Location: Stratford, Ontario Contact: Meghan Moran, meghan.moran@ontario.ca 519-546-1725 Posting Date: Friday March 5, 2021 Closing Date: Saturday March 20, 2021 Get your hands dirty learning about Ontario agriculture and agricultural research. Spend your summer outdoors…
Meghan Moran March 3, 2021 578 Comments Off on Winter Canola: Plant Survival Assessments and Spring FertilizerWhen spring arrives, winter canola growers will have to scout their fields and answer 3 questions before applying fertilizer: Is the canola alive? Does it have strong yield potential? What is the population of healthy plants? Scouting typically begins towards the end of March when plants start to green up. Assessments should be made after the risk of further losses…
