Innovations in Manure Application Equipment Wouldn’t it be nice if liquid manure application could wait until after corn planting was completed, with little risk of compaction or damage to corn plants? It may be the dog-days of summer, but kicking tires at an equipment demonstration and field day is a good way to evaluate how the newest technology may fit…
I took this video in 2010 when a lot of corn was planted in mid April and had emerged nicely only to be hit with a frost in May. Although the injury looked bad at the time, because the growing point was below the ground the crop made a complete recovery and 2010 saw record high provincial corn yields. In…
Manure Injection – New technology = More Options The goal: To increase the opportunities for injecting manure into a variety of growing crops with nutrient placement as similar to commercial fertilizer placement as possible. Traditional manure injection combined manure application with primary or secondary tillage gives the benefit of full disturbance of the soil profile allowing ideal mixing of manure nutrients (even at higher…
Since it was first identified in Ontario in 1988, soybean cyst nematode (SCN) has been identified in most counties west of Toronto and more recently in parts of Eastern Ontario. The disease can be managed effectively, but the first step is identification and awareness. Losses to SCN in Ontario have ranged from 5%-100%. Unfortunately, by the time SCN symptoms become visible…
I’m working on an early warning system for producers, which will be able to identify diseases before they are visible in the field. Below is a video that the University of Guelph SPARK (Students Promoting Awareness of Research Knowledge) put that nicely summarizes the project.
Winter wheat is one of the few crops that provide a second opportunity to assess the crop in spring and replant to another crop if winter survival is not acceptable. Assess the wheat crop during April and early May. Leave the replant decision as late as possible to accurately determine plant stand and plant health. Table 1. Determining Yield Potential…
There are many benefits to liquid manure applications made after forage harvest. Ideally you want an applicator that uniformly applies the liquid manure. The video below shows a liquid tank applicator with a unique toolbar having a series of coulters that go into the ground at a depth of about 1 inch or 2.5 cm. Rubber slurry outlets then place…
