Many of you are familiar with the forage variety performance brochure published annually by the Ontario Forage Crops Committee (OFCC). (www.goforages.ca) Due to recent changes to the Seeds Act, new support from producer organizations and seed companies will be needed for this third-party variety information to be available in the immediate future. Farmers want […]
Many Ontario Fields Don’t Need Neonicotinoid Treated Seeds Assess Your Risk for Early Season Insect Damage Fill out the Pest Evaluation Checklist for Corn or Soybean for your farm at ontario.ca/bx1n Use this Pest Evaluation Checklist to target the use of insecticide seed treatments on corn and soybean seed for fields with identified risks. […]
Greg Stewart, OMAFRA Corn Specialist Albert Tenuta, OMAFRA Field Crop Pathologist The OMAFRA Field Crops team has completed the survey of the 2014 Ontario corn crop to determine ear mould incidence and the occurrence of mycotoxins in the grain. These mycotoxins, particularly vomitoxin (DON) produced primarily by Gibberella/Fusarium ear moulds, are grading factors and can […]
Author: Jocelyn Smith, University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus “Check your fields for WBC and ear rots now and consider harvesting early to stop mould growth. Adjust your combine to discard lightweight mouldy kernels and dry mouldy corn as soon as possible.” If you had trouble finding Western bean cutworm (WBC) egg masses when scouting back […]
While cutting alfalfa in the fall is often practiced in Ontario, it does create some risk to stand health, depending on the location, stand age, harvest frequency and other factors. The decision whether to cut alfalfa should weigh these factors and the immediate need for forage against the increased risk of winterkill and reduced yields […]
by Joel Bagg, Forage Specialist, & Greg Stewart, Corn Specialist, OMAFRA. It was edited on August 22, 2025 by Christine O’Reilly to fix broken links to external resources. “What’s corn silage going to be worth this year?” Corn development is delayed for a significant portion of the crop and could be at risk of frost. […]
With recent rains, forage growth has been excellent. Making dry hay has been quite challenging in August, with lots of baleage being made. Forage inventories and quality are generally good in most parts of the province. Considerable wheat acres are being followed by seeding oats, Italian ryegrass, and alfalfa mixtures. (Forage Options Following Wheat https://fieldcropnews.com/?p=9028) We are […]
By Brian Hall, OMAF/MRA, Stratford Many 2014 canola crops had a markedly varied emergence. Variable soil moisture conditions, lack of rain, uneven seeding depth and/or deep seeding were all were major factors in when canola emerged this year. For growers this could mean maturity variations and challenges at harvest. When managing these fields, harvest management […]
By Brian Hall, OMAF/MRA, Stratford Green stalks, weeds and uneven ripening can all be a problem at harvest. Late season rains following a extended dry period can often result in canola stalks staying green or result in canola regrowth further delaying harvest. Desiccants or pre-harvest glyphosate products can help with timely defoliation and reduce yield […]
Analyzing organic amendments, such as manure, compost, digestate and biosolids, has always been recommended for macro-nutrients, but there is more to manure than just N-P-K. Significant micro-nutrients, organic matter and other elements are also present, and can reveal additional cost savings or management precautions. An analysis does not give a lot of detail about the […]
28% has become the preferred nitrogen source on winter wheat in Ontario. Application is perfectly uniform, something that seems difficult to achieve with most urea applications. However, leaf burn is one of the main problems with 28% applications, particularly at later stages of growth. With more emphasis on split nitrogen applications, and renewed interest in […]
The first suspect cases this season of anthracnose have been reported in white beans. This is the time of year when we typically first begin to see symptoms and is a good reminder for the need to scout your fields through to leaf drop. Anthracnose is a potentially devastating seed-borne disease that can affect all […]
Either our own resident WBC populations did fine over the winter or the recent storm fronts brought in the bunch of moths from the US or a combination of the two. But reports are coming in that fields between Thamesville and Bothwell and near Rodney have reached threshold, well, sort of. What is messing up […]
Root rot is becoming visually evident in many edible bean fields now that beans are entering a more rapid vegetative growth phase and will have a high demand for water and nutrients. Pounding rains, compaction, tillage pans, poor internal drainage and soil structure are common culprits for inducing root rot. Common visual symptoms include stunting […]
What is the best cover crop species to use following wheat and other crops harvested in late summer? Cover crops can help improve soil structure, protect the soil from erosion, feed soil life, suppress weeds, cycle nutrients, provide feed for livestock and much more. Cover crops are not a magic solution for your soil problems, but when […]