Ron Lyseng

Ron Lyseng

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Western Producer

Stories by Ron Lyseng

Crop Management

How do plants defend themselves?

Plants use their immune system to defend against pathogens. In order to activate that immune system, they first need to identify the enemy. Understanding this is vital for future healthier crops. But how do they activate this cellular defense system? The answer can result in genetically modified crops with an improved immune response and increased […] Read more
Crop Management

InterLock passes aerial card test with flying colours

Although WinField’s InterLock has been available through Canadian dealers since 2001, few prairie farmers or aerial applicators were aware of the low-drift adjuvant or how it works until recently. In the United States, the land of massive lawsuits, nearly all aerial applicators use low-drift adjuvants as a precautionary. But interest is growing in Canada. One […] Read more
There is a common misconception that helicopter rotors push the spray down toward the crop. However, as this photo of a Yamaha R-Max shows, the down-wash sends product swirling in all directions. Spraying expert Tom Wolf says this is a major factor that may prevent rotary drones from receiving federal approval for spraying. | Creative Commons image
Crop Management, Machinery

Broad acre drone spraying unlikely

A spraying expert says potential spray drift is a significant concern and payloads will likely be too small to be productive


Drone sprayers have been used in Pacific Rim agriculture for more than two decades, and they gained California certification four years ago. But do they have potential beyond the orchard gate? Probably not, at least not in the foreseeable future, according to Tom Wolf, also known as the Nozzle Guy, in a recent post to […] Read more
As farm size increases, the time required to change in-ground components becomes more of a factor, both on seeding and cultivation equipment. Farmers don’t want to stop for nuisance maintenance work if there’s 10,000 acres yet to cover. | Lemken photo
Crop Management, Machinery

Long life or low cost, soil engagement comes at a price

Steel and soil go together like love and marriage, horse and carriage. Regardless of what kind of farming you’re into, putting steel to soil takes its toll on wear-parts. Whether you farm abrasive sandy loam or Red River clay, in-ground wear-components on your seeding and cultivation equipment will do just that — wear. It’s a […] Read more
Kubota’s M7 was the largest tractor the company had ever produced, until a new, larger line debuts later this year, built in collaboration with Winnipeg’s Versatile. | Michael Raine photo
Crop Management, Machinery

New Versatile Kubota tractor in production

Rumours that have been swirling for five years can finally be put to rest. Yes, Versatile and Kubota are jointly building an all-new tractor to be marketed in both colours. Both companies made announcements in mid-March, briefly outlining the design of the new machine and the OEM manufacturing agreement. Although the rumour mill has been […] Read more
The Western Drone Show is expected to provide an opportunity for farmers, researchers, agronomists, students, teachers and industry to learn about the latest developments in drone technology and new federal regulations.
| Screencap via www.westerndrone.show
Crop Management, Machinery

Drones: more than fast, hot pizza delivery in the urban areas

Western Drone Show covers cutting edge technology, agriculture, federal insights into new regulations

If you believe TV ads, you might think drones deliver piping hot pizza to your doorstep. Someday they may, but for now drones perform more serious work. Those serious tasks are what the Western Drone Show is about. Coming up May 3 in Winnipeg, the Western Drone Show is expected to provide an opportunity for […] Read more
Sheri Dale of Combine World in Allan, Sask., told the Combine College about numerous ways a farmer can upgrade an older combine. For example, she sells a Farm TRX monitor system that tracks yields, builds reports and maps, and costs less than $2,000. | Ron Lyseng photo
Crop Management, Machinery

Upgrade combines with newer technologies

BRANDON — Not every farmer can afford or even wants a brand new combine. For those producers who are keeping an older harvester working, aftermarket suppliers have a load of combine upgrades. Not all presentations at the recent Combine College dealt with leading edge technology. Sheri Dale, who works the counter at Combine World in […] Read more
Independent combine consultant Murray Skayman says the combines bought on the Canadian Prairies are designed and built for corn and soybeans. When they arrive on the Prairies, there are often a number of small modifications that need to be done, especially for work in canola. | Ron Lyseng photo
Crop Management, Machinery

Fine tune NH twin rotor for canola performance

BRANDON — The recently held Combine College had specific courses in setting John Deere, Claas, New Holland and Case combines. The class for each brand was conducted by a technician who specializes in that colour. The New Holland twin rotor class was conducted by independent combine consultant Murray Skayman from Virden. He said there are […] Read more
The adjustable angle of the solid margard panels allow them to match the angle of the windscreen fingers, thus creating a vacuum effect that sucks canola seeds into the feeder house. | Ron Lyseng photo
Crop Management, Machinery

You went to the expense of growing it, now save it

BRANDON — With canola prices sinking down close to the break-even point, growers will concentrate on putting every seed in the combine hopper come August, meaning no tolerance for throw-overs. Here’s an example. If you combine 1,500 acres of canola and lose one bushel per acre at $10 per bushel, your financial loss is $15,000. […] Read more

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