Looking forward into the new year is an opportunity to imagine what might be, and Western Producer technology analyst Ron Lyseng is taking a look at the big trucks that might silently be sneaking up on the hauling market. Who knows, they might be moving from groceries to grain and fertilizer in the not too distant future.
The race to be first with an all-electric highway semi tractor was a close one, with Cummins, Mercedes, Tesla and California newcomer Thor nearly tied as they introduced their truck concepts last year. Being “first” doesn’t necessarily mean “best,” nor does it necessarily give you a jump on the market. Nonetheless, it’s a prize all […] Read more
Ron Lyseng
Stories by Ron Lyseng
Cracking the megapest genetic code
Knowing the total genetic makeup of an insect allows scientists to design plants that repel the bad bugs
Australian researchers have spearheaded an international effort to decipher and map the entire genome makeup of two major megapests threatening crops around the world. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization announced in a recent news release that it had identified more than 17,000 protein coding genes in two closely related pests considered to be […] Read more
Genetic mapping vs. genome sequencing
People mistakenly use “genetic mapping” and “genome sequencing” interchangeably without a second thought. However, the two technologies are as different as planting wheat with a stick and planting wheat with a SeedMaster. True, both technologies will yield some sort of a final product, but that’s where the similarity stops, says James Schnable, a geneticist at […] Read more
French robot prowls the chicken coop so you don’t have to
The Tibot Spoutnic prowls chicken coop floors all day, every day,keeping chickens on their toes and at the peak of efficiency. Spoutnic, a small autonomous robot, debuted this fall at SPACE, an annual French livestock show that focuses on new technologies. Spoutnic is designed to take the place of people who monitor chickens, regularly walking […] Read more
Big doubts about big data
Big data offers layers upon layers and tonnes upon tonnes of valuable information that can cut input costs and boost yields. So why aren’t farmers making better use of it? Daryle Laycock started collecting GPS-referenced yield data 20 years ago, mainly because experts and informed sources said it would someday be valuable. Today, it’s all […] Read more
Farmers not rushing to grab digital tools: survey
What has become known to many as “big data” has promised to transform farming by optimizing crop inputs and yield. Yet a recent survey by Glacier FarmMedia shows farmers are slow with the uptake. The survey of 428 prairie farmers conducted this fall indicates that half the field data collected is not downloaded or expected […] Read more
VIDEO: Go narrow or go home
FARGO, N.D. — The split nitrogen trend sent Unverfirth back to the drawing board for a new applicator specifically for split application. While there, they made it the narrowest applicator in the industry. “The NutriMax is definitely a split application machine. That’s what our engineers had in mind when they started with a fresh sheet […] Read more
VIDEO: Speed and quality outrank size
LANGHAM, Sask. — The vertical tillage equipment introduced to Western Canada a decade ago evolved into the latest generation of high-speed compact cultivators. But the story doesn’t stop there. Lemken has been at the forefront of these changes since 2006, but it says terms like vertical tillage don’t apply to its way of thinking about […] Read more
Humungous fungus is largest living organism on Earth
The largest living terrestrial being on Earth isn’t a whale, elephant or giant sequoya. It’s a 9,000-year old mushroom that measures 5.5 kilometres across and eats fir trees. There’s a total of 10 trillion or more types of soil bacteria. There can be more than a million in a teaspoon of soil. When we narrow […] Read more
Grain cart design improves side reach, operator visibility
J&M thinks their new Xtended-Reach fixed position auger is a better way to deal with high horsepower tractors
FARGO, N.D. — Grain cart engineers at J&M have abandoned their adjustable unload auger concept, opting for a fixed, in-line auger that places the spout closer to the front, nearer to the tractor driver while maintaining good side reach. The Xtended-Reach in-line auger is a more efficient layout for moving grain, according to Shannon Grieshop, […] Read more
