Researcher says cover crops may make it harder for flea beetles to find canola, and can attract bugs that prey on the pest
Flea beetles can wreak havoc on canola but new research from the University of Manitoba could offer natural ways to control the pests. Associate professor of entomology Alejandro Costamagna started research on the value of cover crops in 2022 on mitigating flea beetle damage in canola. He said cover crops may help decrease flea beetle […] Read moreStories by Freelance writer
Plant lovers stay ahead of the backhoe
A grassroots plant group in Alberta works with developers to conserve native species that are at risk of disappearing
With more than 75 percent of native grassland on the Prairies already lost, one conservation group organized and got to work when a major new interchange was slated to begin construction on uncut grassland near Cochrane, Alta. The Alberta Native Plant Rescue, a grassroots and loosely organized group of volunteers, came together late last year […] Read more
Berry bounty not always worth cheering about
An abundance of saskatoons in the family berry patch meant pies needed to be made, but that’s where the trouble started
I am sure my mother dragged me off to the wild saskatoon berry patch long before I was off the bottle, and she probably put me down on an anthill by mistake, because my earliest recollection of berry picking is being eaten alive by bugs. Along with the hot humid atmosphere of the bush were […] Read more
Sealers see new revival as interest in canning increases
Shelves of canned preserves were once a fixture in many basements, despite an occasional mishap due to ring failure
Exploring the cool, dark recesses of Grandma’s dugout cellar, I would come across the dilapidated old cupboard braced against the far side of the coal bin. An ambitious spider had draped cobwebs from shelf to shelf. I gingerly reached through its gauze curtain to discover a veritable treasure chest of good eating. High bush cranberry […] Read more
Young woman takes over family trucking company
A Sask. university student makes the decision to assume responsibility for her father’s firm following a death in the family
CANDIAC, Sask. — She celebrated her 21st birthday this June in a bin shovelling grain. With a trucking company to run, Leanne Kotylak had no time for elaborate coming-of-age parties. While the farm-raised woman has always loved anything to do with trucks and farming, she was thrust into the role of owner and operator of […] Read more
Researchers encourage plants to be co-operative
Discovery of co-operative traits could be used in modern breeding programs to provide efficient ways to increase yields
Plants compete. They grow tall and spread their leaves to reach sunlight and outshine other plants. Roots will spread deeper and wider in search of water and nutrients, entangling themselves with neighbours’ roots. But a recent experiment by researchers at the University of Zurich and Agroscope, Switzerland’s centre of excellence for agricultural research and affiliated […] Read more
Abandoned pets worry rural residents
Communities struggle to find solutions to the problems caused by people dropping off unwanted animals in rural areas
Talk to most rural residents about abandoned animals found on or near their properties and you’ll get an earful about pot-bellied pigs, unwanted roosters, wandering domestic rabbits, even a fish — complete with tank — dropped on the side of the road. Cats, however, top the list of abandoned animals. “Cats have always been a […] Read more
School builds ag focus into curriculum
An Alberta Kindergarten to Grade 12 school puts an agricultural spin on what it teaches by offering hands-on experience
Hands-on experience can be mind-changing for aspiring young agrarians. To that end, Altario Agriculture Academy in Altario, Alta., has been building a farm curriculum into its junior high and high school program for years.
Fungal infections pose increasing risk to crops
Scientists at the University of Exeter, U.K., authored a commentary published recently in the journal Nature, highlighting the threats of fungal infection to crops. Growers worldwide lose between 10 and 23 percent of their crops to infection annually, despite widespread use of fungicides. Another 10 to 20 percent is lost to problems post-harvest.
Molecular mechanism links roots to phosphorus
Researchers discover the gene that regulates when roots stop growing, which occurs within hours of a lack of phosphorus
Researchers at Michigan State University have discovered a specific gene that regulates when the roots of a plant stop growing and they have identified this reaction as happening within hours of a lack of phosphorus.
