Photo: Scouting a few days after a spring frost is a good way to assess the severity of any damage. Good agronomy is very important for achieving good yield and quality in forage crops. While good agronomy includes a fertility plan, seeding techniques, and harvest management, it also relies on proactive decision-making. The only way to know what is happening…
Six tank-mix partners are recommended for the removal of Roundup Ready Alfalfa and since they vary significantly in cost (Table 1), their effectiveness was evaluated in a trial conducted at the Elora Research Station in 2018-19. Growing degree day accumulation after herbicide application appeared to have the greatest effect on the control of Roundup Ready alfalfa. Presumably because alfalfa has…
Nutrient deficiencies can seriously impact crop yield. Certain deficiencies are seen every year in Ontario field crops, such as nitrogen deficiency in corn and manganese deficiency in soybeans. Others are brought on or made worse by environmental conditions – for example, potassium deficiency in soybeans and boron deficiency in alfalfa (Figure 1) during dry spells. Knowing how to identify deficiencies…
Reports are coming in about insect pressure in forage crops and pastures across the province. Central and eastern Ontario currently have high potato leafhopper pressure, while districts across northern Ontario are challenged by armyworms. The only way to know if a field has insect pressure is to scout it! More information about scouting forage crops can be found in OMAFRA…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team April 24, 2019 1022 Comments Off on Mount Forest Ag Breakfast Minutes – April 23, 2019Who was in attendance? 26 agricultural professionals working in the counties of Waterloo, Wellington, Huron, Grey, Bruce, Dufferin and Simcoe counties. The past week’s weather summary: 40-50 mm of rainfall fell over the Easter weekend and understandably, field conditions are extremely wet with essentially no field activity. This will put additional pressure on livestock producers who may have significant inventories of…
Map shows the percent of average rainfall received across Ontario in July, 2018 Lab analyses indicate that quality decline for first cut was very fast, and test results range from low to very high quality. Producers cutting based on calendar date rather than crop stage may have lower quality forages than expected. Pasture regrowth has been slow, and many producers…
Hay Cutting Height is a Management Tool Challenging growing conditions in 2016 and 2017 have weakened mature hay fields and put pressure on stands established during those years. When forages have been stressed it is a good time to think about how management practices can affect persistence and vigour. Cutting height is one factor that can make a difference in…
Scouting is an important part of growing quality forage. Just like other field crops, scouting alfalfa helps growers stay ahead of emerging problems, correctly time harvests, and make better decisions when planning future crops. Plant counts should be done spring and fall (Table 1). These can be done when the alfalfa is dormant. The spring count is a good time…
Southwestern: Most alfalfa stands overwintered well; however those on heavy soils and in low-lying areas may have suffered winter injury. New seedings and annual forage acres are expected to increase this year in response to weather conditions over 2016 and 2017. As of May 27th, alfalfa weevils had reached 1st instar. Scouting is advised to identify if alfalfa weevils may be…
Many fields across Ontario may be at risk of alfalfa winter kill this year. This post contains links to OMAFRA resources that can help you determine whether your fields were at risk, if damage occurred, and what to consider for next steps. Late cutting can increase risk Due to rain delays, some fields were cut during the critical fall harvest period…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 14, 2016 2299 Comments Off on Winchester AgBreakfast Meeting Notes – May 10, 2016Conditions: Sunny and dry conditions over the last 2 weeks were ideal for field work. Temperatures were below normal for the period. From May 1st to 9th, the area received less than 10 mm rain and roughly 65 CHU, while the 30 year average is 20 mm for precipitation and 90 for CHU. Forages: Forage growth is about 5 day…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 2, 2016 2209 Comments Off on Winchester AgBreakfast Minutes – April 26, 2016Conditions: Soil drying up, but below average temperatures are limiting field activity to manure/fertilizer application and forage/spring cereal seeding. Forages: Alfalfa winter survival is good, generally in the 80% plus range. Winterkill is mostly limited to low/poorly drained pockets. The combination of heavy and moisture saturated soils has led to some heaving. Alfalfa fields not harvested last fall are showing…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 14, 2015 2336 Comments Off on Winchester AgBreakfast Minutes May 12, 2015Conditions: Warm, sunny and dry conditions over the last 2 weeks were ideal for field work. Timely rains May 10-12 brought 20 mm (5 to 50 mm) of welcome precipitation across eastern Ontario. With most of the cereals, new forage seedings, corn and part of the soybean acreage seeded/planted between April 27th and May 10th, the fertilizer/seed supply/delivery chain was…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team April 30, 2015 1665 Comments Off on Winchester AgBreakfast Minutes – April 28, 2015Conditions: Below average temperatures persisted throughout most of April. At Ottawa, approximately 100 CHU and 65 mm of rain were accumulated in April. Soils dried slowly and field activity only picked up during the last few days of April. Forages: Alfalfa winter survival is excellent, generally in the 90% plus range. Alfalfa fields not harvested last fall have about 3”…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team April 17, 2015 1710 Comments Off on Winchester AgBreakfast Minutes – April 14, 2015Conditions: Moderate temperatures at the end of winter, combined with limited precipitation minimized spring water runoff and soil erosion. Soil is drying slowly, allowing for only limited field activity to date. Alfalfa: Winter survival generally looks excellent. Alfalfa has 1 to 2 inches of new growth at this point and is showing no sign of heaving damage. Tap roots just…
