The Ontario Virtual Crop Diagnostic Event will replace all in-person provincial crop diagnostic days that have been postponed this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The first series of diagnostic learning sessions begins on Wednesday July 15, 2020. For more information and to register go to OMAFRA Virtual Diagnostic Days Series website. While the management window for much of our…
Summary Pre Sidedress Nitrogen Test (PSNT) soil samples were collected from 94 sites across the province from June 8th to 10th, 2020 The average PSNT value was 14 ppm, slightly above the long-term average of 12 ppm. Optimal nitrogen (N) rates are a function of both soil N supply and yield. Consider both when determining N rate requirements in 2020….
Joanna Follings April 24, 2020 797 Comments Off on Considerations for Nitrogen Applications in Spring CerealsAs the wheels have started turning and the spring cereals are going in the ground the question that continues to come up is how much nitrogen (N) should I apply? With spring cereals we know there is a balance between having enough nitrogen to maximize yield potential while avoiding lodging issues. However, OMAFRA’s current nitrogen guidelines for spring cereals are…
Joanna Follings May 8, 2019 68312 Comments Off on Herbicides, Fungicides, Nitrogen and Sulphur – Prioritizing trips across your winter wheat fields this springJoanna Follings, Mike Cowbrough, Peter Sikkema, Dave Hooker and Peter Johnson Mother nature has finally awarded us with some sun and warmer temperatures which will hopefully get the remaining winter wheat stands off to the races. However, as we get out into the fields some are questioning what to prioritize and what practices to avoid so that we can minimize…
The nitrogen (N) fertility algorithm proposed at the recent Eastern Ontario Crop Conference by Dr. Dave Hooker, University of Guelph- Ridgetown Campus, was “80% of the recommended N applied pre-plant, then 1 lb/ac of additional N for each millimetre (mm) of rain from the V7 to VT corn growth stage.” Drs. B. Deen, D. Hooker and J. Nasielski of…
Joanna Follings March 18, 2019 1315 Comments Off on Looking for Tillers? Consider Early Season Nitrogen Management!This past fall brought challenges for many growers. Prolonged wet weather delayed soybean harvest and pushed winter wheat seeding into late October and early November for some. Before the snow fell, many fields had not yet emerged. While the seed did germinate and vernalize, the late planting meant no tiller development. As a result, nitrogen management will be important in…
Meghan Moran March 21, 2018 2471 Comments Off on Evaluation of Nitrogen and Planting Equipment in Spring CanolaSpring canola yields have been strong in Ontario in the past two years, but are we meeting our yield potential? Are there ways to profitably increase yields? In 2017 a trial was conducted by Deb Campbell of Agronomy Advantage Inc. and Darcy Martin on Darcy’s farm in Kenilworth, Ontario to test and demonstrate management practices that maximize canola yields. Profitability…
The corn nitrogen calculator app generates a recommendation for the most economical N rate for a corn field. It is based on more than 40 years of Ontario research and takes into account soil type, rotation, and the cost scenario (i.e. anticipated cost of N and price of corn). The app allows you to save the recommendations for each field…
Co-author Ken Janovicek, University of Guelph. Background The OMAFRA field crop unit in collaboration with farm cooperators, agribusiness and SGS-AgriFood Labs conducted the annual survey of soil nitrate nitrogen levels across the province from June 3rd to June 5th, sampling over 130 fields. The samples were collected after heavy rainfall events during the weekend of May 30-31, where some areas received up to…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team April 30, 2015 1687 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 1730 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…
Greg Stewart February 4, 2015 2341 Comments Off on Verifying a Pre-Sidedress Soil Nitrate Threshold Test for Evaluating Nitrogen Top-Up NeedsPurpose: Pre-sidedress soil nitrate test (PSNT) provide a means of estimating soil nitrogen supply, and can aid producers in fine-tuning their nitrogen application rates for corn. One drawback of current soil nitrate tests is that they are only calibrated for situations where all of the nitrogen being measured has come from soil mineralization, that is cores need to be taken…
Greg Stewart, Peter Johnson and Ian McDonald, OMAF & MRA Background In 2014 the OMAF & MRA field crops team once again surveyed a range of corn fields to determine the impact that this springs weather has had on the level of residual soil nitrate. This year April was cool with less growth than normal and from May 1…
OMAFRA Field Crop Team May 14, 2014 1961 Comments Off on Winchester Ag Breakfast Meeting Notes – May 13, 2014Conditions: Over 75% of the manure is out and 40-50% of the ground has been worked. Forages: Nitrogen fertilizer has largely been applied on grass hay fields. Alfalfa growth has picked up over the last week (6” to 8”). While alfalfa winter survival is generally good, winterkill (Figure 1) is becoming evident and some fields will need to be rotated…
Wheat yields pushing 150 bu/ac are very possible with good management and increased nitrogen (N) rates. Recent research clearly shows an interaction between fungicides and nitrogen. But high nitrogen rates immediately raises questions about lodging, nitrogen source, and application timing. Wheat’s nitrogen demand is much earlier than corn, so nitrogen management needs to be different. What is the right rate,…
