The early start to the corn season came to an abrupt halt in parts of Ontario on May 23rd when temperatures dipped to -3oC in parts of the province. It is always painfull to see corn seedlings flat on the ground (Figure 1.). However, with corn mostly at the spike to 4 leaf stage when […]
Last summer, potato leafhopper (PLH) certainly lived up to its reputation as the most damaging alfalfa insect pest in Ontario. In many parts of the province, PLH feeding resulted in yield loses of over 1 tonne of alfalfa per acre or roughly a loss of $200/acre. While PLH damage was far greater than normal, it […]
When grubs hit hard, forage supplies dwindle fast! Stand loss in hay fields and pastures due to grub damage is becoming more common. Warm open falls and warm springs are ideal for grub feeding activity. (Figure 1) The result is a thin, weedy stand with low yields , and poor resistance to drought. Grubs prefer […]
Canola seedlings can with stand a considerable frost (-5 to -8 0 C) if plants have become acclimatized following a few days of cold temperatures. However, canola seedlings growing under warm conditions will be tender, and can be killed by even a f few degrees frost. Ice crystals will form on the leaf surface before […]